


Psychedelic Soul

by Pearli97



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mutants, F/F, Fukuroudani, Hurt/Comfort, Johzenji, Karasuno, M/M, Mutant Powers, Mystery, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Prostitute akaashi, Suicide Attempt, aged up and aged down characters, aoba johsai, prostitute Kuroo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-13
Updated: 2016-11-05
Packaged: 2018-05-20 05:28:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 31
Words: 57,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5993206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pearli97/pseuds/Pearli97
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After an accident when his mutant powers activate, Kageyama runs away and ends up finding out that not everything is as it seems. (I suck at summaries TAT)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there if your reading this thank you. It's my my first work to Ao3 but not my first fanfiction. But besides that, I want to stress that this first chapter has a suicide attempt and I don't want to trigger anyone.

_“Iwa-ch- Hajime?! Kageyama! Why isn’t he breathing?” _Kageyama just stared down at Oikawa as he cradled Iwaizumi’s broken body, the body he broke. _“You did this didn’t you? You monster! You’re a mutant! You killed Iwa-chan!”___

__

Kageyama ran and didn’t stop in spite of the ache in his legs, in spite of the burning in his lungs _“you monster!” _His vision began to blur together as his tears clouded his vision.__

__

“I-I didn’t mean to! I didn’t want to hurt anybody!” His legs couldn’t carry him any longer. He ended up tumbling against a cold metal surface with a sharp inhale. He could taste the crisp watery air. When he was able to crack open his eyes, he saw nothing but a black abyss before him. Confused, he looked around to see a car pass by. He had no idea what part of Tokyo he was in anymore only that he was on the middle of a bridge with no idea with which way he had come from. “Iwaizumi always did say I had a knack for getting lost when I ran.” The dark haired boy sighed fondly until he remembered why he was even out there.

__

_“You killed Iwa-chan!” _His hands tightened around the chilled metal, slowly pushing himself up and on to the top of the railing. He wanted to be on the other side but before he could get his legs around, he heard footsteps.__

__

“Hey” Kageyama nearly jumped out of his skin at the deep masculine voice. He almost lost his balance when he tried to glare at the tall messy black haired man but from the man’s strange smirk he knew it would do him no good. “What’cha doing?” The man simply asked offering the teen a tissue like a peace offering.

__

Kageyama decided he didn’t care. He glared. “What do you think I’m doing dumbass?!” He snapped slapping away the tissue which fluttered away into the dark pit below. When the stark white vanished like it had never existed, all the color drained from the teen’s face, his vision began to blur. With each blink he could slowly see the smirk wiping away from the other man’s face until finally he found himself staring at the fraying knit of the man’s plaid shirt.

__

“Whoa didn’t expect you to almost fall. Kid you okay?” He couldn’t bring himself to answer. He just buried his face into the man’s shirt, another wave of burning tears coming on. “I take that as a no. Come on. I’m taking you to my place. I can’t send you on your way looking like this. I’m Kuroo Tetsurou by the way; can I have your name?”

__

“K-Kageyama Tobio…” He heard the man hum thoughtfully before he righted him on his own two feet. “Good, good Kageyama I hope you can walk because you’re pretty heavy and this bridge is looong.”

__

-

__

The cold November air chilled Kageyama down to the bone. It was only now that he realized he was only wearing gym shorts and a thin cotton shirt. When he began to shake, Kuroo shrugged off his coat and wrapped it around his shoulders.

__

“I won’t ask you why you were out here tonight. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

__

The teen let of a small sigh of relief. The man was kind enough to offer him shelter for the night; he didn’t want to ruin that. He knew after tonight, he couldn’t return back to his home. His parents cursed at the thought of mutants being in schools around normal children. What would they think if their own son turned out to be one?

__

“But I should probably tell you a bit about myself. I don’t want you stumbling across anything in my house and think I’m some sort of pervert… Uh well wait… I guess you can’t really call yourself a prostitute and not be some sort of pervert I guess… But I take pride in my separation of home and work life!”

__

Kageyama couldn’t help the small smile that formed on his lips “it’s fine really. I have no room to judge anyone really.”

__

The smirk was back on Kuroo’s lips by the time they reached the end of the bridge. “Oh and one more thing, I have a roommate, my best friend really. He’s- wait never mind he should be out a volleyball training camp ‘till tomorrow.” The shorter said nothing. He didn’t want to upset Kuroo by his lack of desire to meet another human for the time being. From his drawn together brows, he could easily tell how much he missed his friend even if it was just for another day.

__

-

__

Kuroo’s apartment was small yet homey. The main room which consisted of two futons, a kotatsu and TV piled high with video games of all kinds was a relaxing soft tan with many vibrant volleyball posters scattered inconsistently around.

__

“Well make yourself at home kid. I’ll bring you out some food. I swear I could hear your stomach growling since we got off the bridge!”

__

When Kuroo disappeared into the tiny kitchen, Kageyama wandered over to the kotatsu, cautious with each step he took. He couldn’t exactly see the floor with all the items that were littered across it. He didn’t want to step on anything irreplaceable or gross. His concern however began to waver as he began to smell Kuroo’s cooking. ‘Pork curry’ he thought happily for a moment forgetting about everything that had happened in the last few hours.

__

“I was gonna ask if pork curry was okay but I can tell by your face that it’s perfect.” Kuroo hummed as he placed the curry and rice on kotatsu before sitting down.

__

Kageyama tilted his head “aren’t you gonna eat anything?” He could feel the drool trying to drip out of his mouth. He didn’t understand why Kuroo didn’t feel the same way.

__

“You’re sweet for caring for my well being but I’ve had enough salt for the day.” He still didn’t understand but he began to dig in any way that was until Kuroo spoke again, this time his voice more serious. “I know you’re a mutant.”

__

The spoon dropped from his hand as his navy eyes widened. He spat out the food, hitting Kuroo in the face with a partially chewed potato chunk and tried to get up however his legs wouldn’t cooperate. “Y-you poisoned me didn’t you?!” Kuroo scratched at the mess that was his hair “no I didn’t, if Kenma, my roommate made it, then it’s a 50/50 chance. You’re probably just tired.” Kageyama didn’t care all he knew was that he had to get away. Oikawa had friends everywhere; Kuroo could be one of them. He was probably just holding him until he got here so he could kill him. He wanted to smack himself for putting blind trust in the man but he didn’t want to die; almost falling off the bridge told him that.

__

“Come on kid I’m not gonna hurt you. I’m a mutant too.”

__

His words brought Kageyama no comfort. “Well then how do you know I’m a mutant then huh? Is that your power?!”

__

“Um I don’t think the news is a mutant power, stupidity isn’t mutant. It’s normal” he laughed “Anyways, after I finished ‘business’ with my client of the night, he had the news on and there your picture was with the tagline ‘Wanted for Murder’.”

__

Kageyama couldn’t deny it. It was true. He killed Iwaizumi when his powers emerged. 

__

“Trust me kid I won’t judge. I’ve done a lot worse and I don’t want you to fall down the same path as me.”

__

“Okay…” He sighed “It all started this afternoon.”

__


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kageyama tells Kuroo about what happened and Kenma appears.

Everyone got the occasional headache every now and then however for Kageyama; they were a constant thing since his last year of middle school. Voices were grating, his grades slipped and even his performance in volleyball, his favorite activity suffered. He became irate if his partner missed the ball or if his serve didn’t hit his mark. Eventually the coach told him to sit out for a while. He didn’t return to volleyball until high school. He still practiced when he could and soon after that, started taking painkillers. They only dulled the pain, but he was used to it. He wanted play under Oikawa and Iwaizumi, his senpais, again.

“Tobio-Chan! ~” Oikawa sang out each syllable as he trotted over to the raven haired teen entering the gym. “I didn’t think you’d play anymore! Kindaichi-Chan said you quit volleyball! My Kouhai? I refused to believe it and here you are!” Kageyama could hear the sarcastic venom in his voice. He could even see the irritation burning in his chocolate eyes. The two never got along yet he still respected the other setter.

“Hey Shittykawa! Stop giving Kageyama grief!” A smirk formed on the first year’s lips as Oikawa turned away from him with a huff to see the slightly shorter spiky dark haired man stalking up to him.

“Iwa-Chan I wasn’t- Ouch!” The other man had swatted him up the backside of his head before leading Kageyama away to the other side of the gym.

“I’m sorry about Oikawa” He sighed with a scratch to the back of his head. “How are you? I know you used to get pretty nasty headaches every now and then…”

“Don’t worry Iwaizumi-san I’m fine. Really I am.” He wasn’t. His painkillers were wearing down earlier than usual.

Iwaizumi saw easily through his lie. “Kageyama, don’t lie to me. I know volleyball is important to you but please put your health before the sport. Have you even been to a doctor?”

“My parents think I’m lying.”

The third-year snorted “no wonder why. You just lied to me barely even two minutes ago! Now go lay down in the storage room. I’m taking you to the hospital after practice. That Trashykawa wouldn’t let me off early even if I gave him a kiss.”

-

Kageyama did as he was told. He made himself comfortable on some mats in the dark storage room and tried to sleep. Sleep however, remained elusive due to his throbbing head. He tried rolling around the mats to tire himself out but that did nothing but aggravate his head further. He ended up just staring up at the ceiling until his vision began to swirl. That was when Iwaizumi returned.

“Well practice is over. How’re you feeling?” His voice was as soft as he could manage. That was until he was by his side, hand resting on the younger’s forehead. “Kageyama you’re burning up! Come on I gotta get you out of here!” He sounded scared and that in turn freaked Kageyama out.

“N-no I’m fine!”

It was when Iwaizumi moved to pick him up that a loud crack reverberated throughout the storage room. Kageyama’s navy widened impossibly as he stared up at the twisted image that had become Iwaizumi’s arm. His fingers were bent at impossible angles while his forearm was broken in half threatening to break through skin as it hung freely. Iwaizumi didn’t scream. He just followed the first-year’s movement. Scared, Kageyama scooted away until was able to brace himself against the wall to stand. His head was throbbing unbearably at this point. Even his vision had become useless. Anything but his senior was shrouded in a thick fog. The dark haired boy couldn’t help the tears that began pour down his face.

Iwaizumi seemingly didn’t notice his broken arm as he took a step towards Kageyama. “K-Kageyama- Tobio… I want you to take a deep breath and calm down I’m not mad at you.”

But Kageyama couldn’t listen. He refused, cupping his ears with his hands as he tried to shrink away from the slowly encroaching Iwaizumi. With a pained cry, another crack filled the tense air followed by something large hitting the wooden floor. For a moment, Kageyama hoped it was his own body. But the dead coffee eyes that bore up into his own lapis ones told him otherwise.

“Iwa-Chan come on I wanna go home! Tobio-Chan’ll be fine without y-you…” Oikawa stood in the doorway, the light of the gym on his back, nearly shadowing the look of horror on his face until he dove to Iwaizumi’s side. “Iwa-ch- Hajime?! Kageyama! Why isn’t he breathing?” Kageyama just stared down at Oikawa as he cradled Iwaizumi’s broken body, the body he broke. “You did this didn’t you? You monster! You’re a mutant! You killed Iwa-chan!”

His legs were barely cooperating but he ran out, ignoring the confused faces of the cleaning volleyball team. He didn’t even notice that his headache had completely vanished for the first time since middle school.

-A-

“…And that’s what pretty much happened.” Kageyama honestly thought Kuroo would have fallen asleep through his story but he stayed awake the whole time.

“Wow and all that just happened only just a few hours ago?”

“Pretty much…”

Kuroo nodded “well how you feel now kid? Does your head hurt anymore?” He didn’t receive an answer as the teen just stared back at him in confusion. “What do I have something on my face or something?”

“A-ah no” Kageyama stammered “it-it’s just…”

“Save it kid I’m not gonna pass judgment and smite you. Like I said, I’ve done worse.” Nothing was said for a while after that. The only sound that filled the apartment was the scraping of chopsticks against a bowl and Kuroo’s fingers tapping on the table.

“So what did you do? I-I mean if you don’t mind me asking Kuroo-san…” He watched the older man carefully as he rose and took his bowl to the sink once he finished.

“I guess this night’s gonna be background heavy.” He chuckled once he returned to his spot. “Well as I told you I am a mutant and I can do this.” Reaching over to the TV, he grabbed a hold of a scratch less disk. “Now watch, nothing up my sleeves or in my pants.” Setting the disk down, he trained his dark eyes on it. For a moment, Kageyama thought he saw them flash gold before the disk cracked down the middle. “I guess you can say I’m made of bad luck. Sounds stupid isn’t it? But it’s not. One time a client skipped out on payment and well he ‘accidently’ fell down a sewage grate.”

“You saved my life. I-I don’t think you-you’re all bad luck. You’re ni-ni-nice.”

Kuroo’s lip quirked upwards “I’m sensing you’re not used to giving out compliments. But I’ll take it kid. Well anyway, when I was maybe a bit older you when my mutation developed. They say the later it emerges, the harder it is to control at first; weird isn’t it?” When he began to trail off, the teen wondered if he shouldn’t have asked him anything until he started back up again. “It was Kenma’s birthday. My folks and his were as close as I am to Kenma. We were on the freeway when I had a lapse in control. I ended up causing a massive pile up. Our parents died and so did many others. Kenma I think only survived because he was by my side…”

“I remember hearing about that. It was classified as an accident wasn’t it?”

“Yeah and Kenma and me were classified as miracles for surviving. Neither of us actually felt like miracles. I ended up having to drop out of high school to support the both of us doing-“he clearly wanted to say more but he stopped the moment the two of them heard the door crack open.

“Kuroo the camp was cancelled. Are you home?” A quiet voice drifted in; bringing a smile of relief to the tall man’s face.

“Yeah I’m here with a friend. There’s food in the kitchen if you want anything Kenma.” There was a muffled grunt followed a clunk and the sound porcelain hitting porcelain.

Even though Kuroo assured him there was no danger, Kageyama still shrunk in on himself.

“Your glare isn’t exactly friendly.” Kuroo yawned before Kenma finally emerged: he was shorter than Kuroo with dyed blonde hair, his dark roots were poking out which ended up reminding Kageyama of pudding. He was wearing a red and white tracksuit. His gold cat-like eyes were focused with on the slice of pie in his hand. “Kenma when I said food, I didn’t mean apple pie. You need protein.”

Kenma just shrugged as he sat down in between the two, revealing the side of his tracksuit to Kageyama which read ‘Nekoma Volleyball’.

“Ugh Kenma this is Kageyama Tobio. He’s going to be staying with us for a bit.”

The dark haired teen would have been lying if he said he wasn’t bothered by the man’s cat-like eyes staring into him.

“Kuroo how many more people are you going to rescue from the Aoba Johsai?”

“He wasn’t being held by those asses Kenma. I stopped him from killing himself.”

When the two continued to bicker, Kageyama couldn’t help but wish he was invisible. While they kept their voices down like they were having a peaceful conversation, their words were not.

“Kenma I swear to God himself that he didn’t. Look at his face. Does it even look like he even knows what we’re talking about?” The blonde just glanced the other teen’s way before letting off a huff.

“Things just keep getting worse… Can you blame me for worrying about you?” Kuroo shook his head before moving to his side to nuzzle the side of his head until his eyes began to droop. “You don’t play fair…” He was asleep before Kuroo even got him tucked into his futon.

“I’m sorry about that Kageyama… Kenma he- “

“He really cares about you. It’s fine but what is the Aoba Johsai? What makes them so dangerous?”

Kuroo didn’t look him the eye as he scratched at his head “I’ll tell you in the morning. It’s been one long night.” Kageyama couldn’t argue with him on that matter.


	3. Chapter 3

Sleep still didn’t come easy for Kageyama. He was restless, and anytime he was able to find sleep, his dreams were plagued with nightmares that felt so vivid.

_“You can’t run forever, Tobio-Chan~” Oikawa taunted, his eerily saccharine voice sending chills down the fleeing teen’s spine, “you’ll pay for what you’ve done~”_

__

It was just a nightmare that much Kageyama knew, but he still ran the losing battle against Oikawa and the shadowy bodies behind him that he assumed to be the rest of his school’s volleyball team. That was until he rammed into a tepid, sturdy surface.

__

_“Kageyama…”_

__

Dead coffee eyes stared back down into his own. It was Iwaizumi, his neck still broken and his arm as limp as a puppet’s, _“Kageyama… It’s not your fault. Don’t look so sad.”_

____

_“How can you say that even in a dream?! You dumbass!” _he screamed, tears streaking down his face, _“I killed you! I ended your life! Stop acting so nice to me!” _By this point, both he and Iwaizumi were encircled by Oikawa and his team. None of them however paid the latter any mind. They only saw Kageyama.____

____

What happened next could only be left to his imagination as he was awoken by something kicking at his side. Cracking open an eye, he was greeted to the sight of Kenma’s red- clothed leg pushing exhaustedly at his ribs. Kenma himself was trying to worm himself out of Kuroo’s arms, making Kageyama wonder if he just kicked him by accident.

____

“You were shouting in your sleep.”

____

Well that answered his thought. “S-sorry, bad dream. Real bad dream.”

____

Kenma didn’t say anything as he finally got free of Kuroo’s grasp and wandered into the kitchen. The raven haired boy didn’t know what to do as he waited for him to return, he ended up just looking at Kuroo who had moved into an interesting position. He was lying on his stomach, ass in the air while he pressed two pillows to his head. He had to wonder if he could breathe, but again his thought was answered by Kenma as he handed him a cup of what he presumed to be tea.

____

“He’s fine. He sleeps like that so I can play video games at night. He’s a heavy sleeper anyways,” to prove his statement, he flicked on the TV to show a paused game.

____

“Oh.” Kageyama ended up moving closer to Kenma and the TV as he waited for his drink to cool. The game the other teen played didn’t particularly interest him. The game’s world, while colorfully designed, was sparing in things to do in it other than fight the occasional enemy. He did, however, think the characters looked nice enough.

____

“So you’re a mutant right?” the dyed blonde asked as he started what Kageyama assumed to be a boss fight with an oversized dragon and its lackeys.

____

The younger just nodded before he took a tentative sip of his drink. It had the taste of dishwater.

____

“You know, you’re not the first mutant Kuroo brought back here. The seventh, I think. Four of them are dead now. They were killed by the Aoba Johsai.”

____

Kageyama pursed his lips. He still had no idea what the Aoba Johsai even was.

____

“I take it they hate mutants?”

____

The blonde nodded, his eyes never leaving the TV screen, “people don’t like change. They don’t like the idea of someone being better than them. Mutants don’t really have rights. It’s ironic if you think about it. Mutants aren’t born, they develop. You live your life like everyone else until they emerge, then you’re considered an outcast. People don’t care if you live or die. But even then, gangs like the Aoba Johsai crop up to ‘take care’ of mutants. People actually donate their money to them to wipe Japan clean of mutants. Sometimes they don’t just kill them, they capture them and do who knows what. But the news never talks about it. They just say how the Aoba Johsai are heroes and how mutants are evil baby- killing monsters, ignoring the fact that they’re just as guilty of murder as anyone else."

____

“Um, Kenma-san, are you a mutant too?”

____

He shook his head, “no, I’m not. I’ve just seen it all first hand. How people look at Kuroo. Before he dropped out of high school, he was at the top of his class and our school’s volleyball captain. Once it spread that he was a mutant though, people said that he cheated to get to where he was and it was a good thing that he didn’t graduate, all the while he was trying to support the both of us… Oh, game over…” His eyes appeared to have glazed over with what Kageyama could assume to be tears.

____

The game’s fading blue text only seemed to mock both of the teens.

____

-

____

It was mid-morning by the time Kuroo arose from his futon with a loud yawn and a scratch to his ass to find that both Kenma and Kageyama had crawled under the kotatsu and fallen asleep. Smiling, he ended up collecting the dishes and wandered to the kitchen.

____

He wasn’t exactly as quiet as he could have been, as he ended up waking Kageyama, who realized he needed to use the bathroom rather badly. As he got up however, he couldn’t help but hear Kuroo talking to someone. While he was curious, his bladder ended up having the final say, but that was only until he got close enough to hide behind the bathroom door where he could hear the older man more clearly.

____

“Akaashi, he’s my friend too. I know, I know. Akaashi, listen to me, I’ll do what I can for Bokuto. No, I remember Alisa. Wait, she what? Ugh, life just keeps getting even more complicated…” By the time he had hung up, Kageyama had already shut the bathroom door as quietly as he could manage.

____

Kageyama didn’t know what to think on the matter. He knew he shouldn’t have listened to Kuroo’s private conversation, but he couldn’t help his concern that even surprised himself. He wasn’t exactly used to showing concern for others. He usually liked to keep to himself, except for when it came to volleyball, and even then he had a horrible time interacting with anyone other than Iwaizumi. The thought of Iwaizumi brought on a headache, much to his confusion.

____

He ended up sitting in the bathroom, hoping it would go away until there was a knock at the door.

____

“Hey kid, you okay in there? I made some breakfast and I have some clothes for you too if you like. Shorts and a t-shirt aren’t exactly fall material,” Kuroo called to him until the door opened and the teen poked his head out.

____

“I kind of got a headache. Can I just take a bath and eat later?”

____

The messy haired man shrugged, “fine by me. These are for you by the way.” He handed him off a long-sleeve sweater and a pair of familiar red and white sweats. “I don’t think my jeans will fit you and I know Kenma’s won’t, so it looks like you’re gonna a part of the Nekoma volleyball team for the time being.”

____

-

____

Upon entering the bath, Kageyama was greeted by his mirror image, startling him until he realized that it was only his reflection. “Great. I’m scared of my own reflection now…,” he muttered as he stepped up to it to get a better look at himself. From a distance, he could tell he looked horrible and being up close only confirmed it. His skin looked translucent and the dark circles under his eyes didn’t help. His normally silky ebony hair had dulled, standing up in awkward angles, while his clothes just looked plain grungy and his headache certainly wasn’t helping. He ended up covering the mirror with a towel before he got into the tub.

____

While the water was relaxing, his headache remained, as did the thoughts of Iwaizumi. Frustrated, he sunk under the water until only his eyes remained closed above the water. The thoughts that crossed his mind however had nothing to do with the previous day. They were of his first year of middle school when he joined the volleyball team. Oikawa had wanted nothing to do with him, as he didn’t care for another setter trying to take his place. Iwaizumi on the other hand was nice enough to practice with him while Oikawa trained with the others. He remembered after that practice, Iwaizumi bought them both meat buns and how his infatuation grew for the ace.

____

The thoughts ended when he heard something drop into the water. Eyes snapping open, he saw a small owl bath toy floating in the water that he vaguely remembered had been sitting on the bath edge. Allowing it to float over, he picked it up and squeaked it, snorting when it actually sounded like a hoot. By that point, he noticed it had a little etching in its side. The handwriting was atrocious, but he was able to make out: ‘To Kuroo, owl love you forever bro, Bokuto.’ He had to wonder if it was the same Bokuto from Kuroo’s phone call, but he didn’t put much thought into it as he returned it to the edge and unplugged the tub. His headache had gone and his stomach was growling at him angrily.

____

-

____

By the time Kageyama stepped out of the bathroom, Kenma was gone and only Kuroo remained. He was staring at a black cat that had wandered onto the balcony of his apartment.

____

“Kenma says he sees no difference between me and black cats,” he mused as Kageyama took at seat. “Sorry for my ramble. How’s your head?”

____

“Better. The bath was nice and warm. Where’s Kenma?”

____

“Oh, he went back to school for practice. The camp gets cancelled and he still has practice the next day. I myself have to get going soon anyways. I got ‘business’ with a client in two hours.”

____

He had to wonder if he meant his job or business with the person over the phone, but that thought ended up being pushed to the back of his head as he started to worry about being left alone.

____

“Hey kid, you look like you’ve seen a ghost. You okay?”

____

Kageyama bit his lip, “I’m fine.”

____

“Kid, you’re about as easy to read as a picture book for two-year-olds. If you don’t want to be alone, I can call up Kenma and ask him to end practice early. I’m sure he won’t mind.”

____

“N-no. I won’t inconvenience you two.”

____

Kageyama, however was just waved off.

____

“I want you to feel safe here and if you’re not, I want to change that. Kenma told me what he told you last night and I want you to know that I will do anything in my power to keep you safe.”

____

He couldn’t look Kuroo in the eyes, “you’re just saying that…”

____

“No, I’m always this nice,” Kuroo smiled reassuringly, “now let me go reheat your breakfast.”

____

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The game that Kenma's playing is a reference to the game, Eternal Sonata or Trusty Bell in Japan. Kageyama's reaction is based off my sister's when I played it. Oh that game had such tedious controls. TAT


	4. Chapter 4

The moment he made sure Kageyama ate his breakfast, Kuroo was out the door with a hurried apology that assured the teen that Kenma would be around within the hour.

When the door shut, Kageyama listened until Kuroo’s footsteps drifted away before he allowed himself to freak out. He knew his fears had become irrational when he imagined Oikawa jumping onto the balcony with a gun ready to shoot him in the back of the head, but that didn’t stop his thoughts in the deafening silence of the apartment. To end the silence, he ended up turning on the TV, only to be greeted by his own high school photo.

_“Kageyama Tobio, pictured above, is still wanted at large for the connection to the murder of Iwaizumi Hajime. The two of them both attended Kitagawa Academy. Kageyama has been described as ill-tempered by his classmates, so if you see him, it’s best to call the local authorities immediately.”_

__

“I’m not ill tempered…,” he pouted.

__

The statement didn’t really bother him. He was more confused as to why it wasn’t mentioned that he was a mutant. Oikawa had even called him one. He didn’t think about it long as he heard something crash behind him, startling him. His bowl from earlier had tumbled off the kotatsu.

__

“Damn. Stupid bowl.”

__

When he reached down to get it, however, he noticed something odd. The bowl had begun to move on its own. It had moved away from his hand, and when he pulled back it came closer to him.

__

“…Whoa…”

__

Marveled, Kageyama tried lifting his hand to see if the bowl would follow. It did.

__

“Cool”

__

A smile began to tug at his lips until he remembered what he had done with his newfound ability not even twenty four hours ago, causing a sharp pang to run through his head. The bowl ended up dropping with a loud crack.

__

-

__

It wasn’t that Kenma didn’t like Kageyama. He just didn’t like being social with people he didn’t know that well. He already had a horrible time trying to be social with the first years on the volleyball team like his coach wanted.

__

“…Kuroo will send him on his way like he always does…,” he huffed quietly to himself as he tried to find the key to the door of the apartment. It wasn’t until he had the right key in hand that he heard a thump and crash on the other side. He knew it should just be Kageyama in there, but he wasn’t sure what he was doing in there or if he was in any danger. Sighing, he placed the key in the door and began to shuffle through his bag until he found a small container of pepper spray that Kuroo had given him for emergencies. If someone was in there with the other teen, he knew it would knock them down long enough to give Kageyama his escape.

__

As quietly as he could, he unlocked the door and stepped in. He could hear the low drone of a newswoman on the TV as he stepped around the corner to see a shattered bowl atop the kotatsu and Kageyama’s unmoving legs behind it. No one else was in the room.

__

“…Kageyama?” he called as he walked over, pocketing the pepper spray. The teen’s only answer was a low groan. Kageyama was laying on his back staring up at Kenma with lidded eyes, blood spilling from his nose.

__

-

__

It took him around ten minutes to clean up the broken bowl and the delirious Kageyama’s nose, and by that point he just wanted to sit down and play his video game in peace. He had assumed the other boy had passed out until he began to babble out what he assumed to be an apology.

__

“It’s fine. But how did your nose start to bleed?” He had to admit he was curious. There was no blood on the bowl’s broken shards.

__

Kageyama seemed to hesitate before he muttered, “I-I was… I guess trying to use my mutant powers… I was levitating the bowl… Then I dropped it. I’m so-sorry.”

__

Neither said anything to each other for a long time after that. The only sound came from Kenma’s game.

__

-

__

Night fell without the reappearance of Kuroo, and Kageyama could see the tension in Kenma’s shoulders as he played his game, his fingers hitting the controller’s buttons harshly until his stomach began to growl loudly.

__

“…I want food. Do you want take out?”

__

“That’s fine.”

__

Kenma ended up ordering Chinese food for the both of them, even though they both ended up picking at their portions.

__

“Does Kuroo always stay out so late?” Kageyama ended up asking, trying to break the silence.

__

“Sometimes” Kenma responded quietly, pushing at a piece of broccoli with his chop stick, “we’re usually on different schedules. He’d get home after I left for school and be gone by the time I got back…”

__

“I admit that’s how it was with my parents. But they didn’t really care about me as much as Kuroo cares about you,” Kageyama admitted. It was easy to see Kenma’s small flustered blush when he tried to hide behind his hair.

__

“That’s just Kuroo’s nature… He wants the best for everyone, but he can be callous too. He’s not a push over…” The room went quiet again for a while until Kenma spoke again, “on my way home, I saw a lot of members of the Aoba Johsai walking around…”

__

Kageyama tilted his head, “how could you tell?”

__

“They wear these fancy silver turquoise leaf pins on their clothes… I think they’re after Kuroo…”

__

As if on cue, Kuroo barreled through the door looking worse for wear; his hair was matted down by blood, some of it dripping down onto his forehead which was covered in dirt. His clothes were also covered in dirt and tears that looked like he was attacked by some sort of animal.

__

When he collapsed onto the floor, Kenma was by his side in an instant, the fastest Kageyama ever saw him move during his time in the apartment.

__

“Kuroo what happened to you?” Kenma’s normally disinterested voice was replaced with a soft worried one as he pawed at the bigger man until he rolled over and tiredly smiled at him.

__

“Rough client.”

__

Even Kageyama knew he was lying. “Stop it Kuroo that’s not true. It was the Aoba Johsai wasn’t it?”

__

He nodded with a small cough, “Kenma… it’s not safe here anymore for the both of you… I want you both to go to Karasuno…”

__

“Stop it! I’m not leaving you. Kageyama could you get me a towel from the bathroom?”

__

The dark haired teen nodded and, although shaky at first, he made it to the bathroom, pushing the thought of what Karasuno was to the side for the moment.

__

When he returned, Kenma had gotten Kuroo’s head onto his lap and was running his fingers through his hair, trying to detangle it to no avail. Kuroo had seemed to doze off.

__

“Here you go. I wetted it a little bit.”

__

“Thanks…”

__

Carefully, Kenma began cleaning up Kuroo’s face with as much concentration as he put into his games.

__

Kageyama didn’t want to break his concentration, but he wanted to ask about Karasuno, though Kenma had already guessed that he wanted to know.

__

“Karasuno is a mutant haven up north in the Miyagi prefecture ran by a friend of Kuroo’s. Kuroo would help mutants escape from Aoba Johsai and send them north where it was safer, but…”

__

“Not all of them made it.”

__

Kenma nodded.

__

“Their reach is far. To stop it, Kuroo ended up striking up a deal with a farmer outside of Tokyo to house them until it was safer for travel… I always told him that this would bite him in the butt.”

__

“Y-yeah, I guess it did, Kenma,” Kuroo chuckled, startling the other two as he rose onto his feet with a slight wobble, “but it won’t stop me. I still have business to finish with those bastards and I was serious. You both are going to Karasuno.”

__

“No.”

__

“Yes Kenma.”

__

“No Kuroo…”

__

The two ended up going back and forth for a long time, even as Kuroo went around the apartment packing various essentials into a messenger bag.

__

“Kenma, you’re going. I’ve already called Daichi and besides, you get to see Hinata again. Isn’t that nice?”

__

The blonde almost instantly quieted except to mumble, “Shouyou…,” which Kageyama could only assume to be the person Kuroo mentioned’s name.

__

With a sigh of relief, Kuroo turned his attention to the younger teen, “Kageyama, I’m going to give you the directions and buses to take. Kenma’s horrible with directions.”

__

“No I’m not.”

__

“Yes you are.”

__

Kenma just groaned before he wandered off to the bathroom.

__

When Kuroo handed him a slightly ripped map, Kageyama took note of all the circled stops and bus numbers before looking up into Kuroo’s tired eyes, seeing the physical and emotional wear in them.

__

“You guys will leave in the morning and don’t worry about being caught. The news will forget about you by tomorrow, like they always do.”

__


	5. Chapter 5

“Sir, it seems your tactic with the owl and lion worked. Kuroo Tetsurou is sending him away. Shall we send the snake to retrieve him?” a man with short pink hair asked over the phone, his eyes on the tablet sitting on his lap that displayed the image of two young men, both with variations of white hair.

_“I suppose those police are incompetent. I just wish that Iwaizumi brat had done his mission right. I don’t like wasting my assets on petty threats like Kuroo Tetsurou, Hanamaki,” _an annoyed man grunted back.__

__

“You forget, sir, that he liberated six of your assets on two separate occasions. He’s not exactly petty, especially if you needed-“

__

_“Hanamaki, whose side are you on?”_

____

The pink haired man groaned, “yours. The Aoba Johsai’s.”

____

_“Good. Now how is our spy doing down in Karasuno?”_

_____ _

“Doing as fine as ever, though I wonder why you’re putting so much blind faith in him.”

_____ _

_“He’ll do as he’s told. He has his motivations.”_

______ _ _

Hanamaki rolled his eyes, “yes sir. Anyways, what do you want me to do about our new recruits? They seem anxious to get a piece of Kageyama. It seems they cared a lot about Iwaizumi, poor things.”

______ _ _

_“I don’t care. Keep them on standby. I won’t have them ruin my plans.”_

_______ _ _ _

“Yes sir.”

_______ _ _ _

-

_______ _ _ _

Despite what Kuroo had said, the news hadn’t forgotten about Kageyama. His face was still on the news, only this time with a bounty over it.

_______ _ _ _

“Wow, they really want you in prison,” Kuroo mused as he dug casually through his closet, much to the young teen’s horror.

_______ _ _ _

“I’ll be in a police car the moment I step outside your apartment building and then they’ll arrest Kenma too as an accessory, you dumbass!”

_______ _ _ _

When Kageyama pointed to the blonde, he just moved away and pulled his PSP out of his pants pocket. He was dressed for school, but they all knew he wasn’t going.

_______ _ _ _

“No you won’t. I got you a disguise,” smiling as wide as his now bruised face would allow, he held up a black and grey pullover and a hat that read ‘Hollywood’ with a pair of sunglasses sitting on the bill.

_______ _ _ _

Kageyama couldn’t help the twitch in his eye even as he put it on and was forced out the door with Kenma by Kuroo.

_______ _ _ _

“Now the bus will be by shortly and don’t lose each other. Call the moment you get to your first stop. If I don’t answer…,” when he began to peter off, Kenma pocketed his game and gave Kuroo a loose hug, as during the previous night it was discovered that he had severely damaged his ribs.

_______ _ _ _

“…Please stay safe, Kuroo… You don’t have to take on the world alone…”

_______ _ _ _

Before Kuroo could give any sort of response, the bus rolled up to the curb and the two had to board. He ended up just waving them off with a sad look in his eyes.

_______ _ _ _

-

_______ _ _ _

The bus was moderately empty with only a couple of young people who appeared as if they were late for work and a bickering tourist elderly couple. The two ended up sitting in the back away from the commotion.

_______ _ _ _

“According to the map, we ride until we get to Saitama, where we hop onto a train to get to Utsunomiya, and then it’s an hour walk to the- um…”

_______ _ _ _

“Ushijima farm,” Kenma sighed, pulling his PSP back out.

_______ _ _ _

“I wonder how many cows live there,” Kageyama joked. Kenma, however, wasn’t paying attention to him anymore. His full attention rested on his game. While he knew it was mean, Kageyama kind of wished the battery would die as he began to look around the bus. No one stared at him like they recognized who he was, or if they did, they didn’t show it. The elderly couple just fought about what to see in Saitama first, while the last of the late workers got off with a low groan. It seemed no one else was going to get on at the stop until an almost sickly pale man with swooping dark green hair garbed in a large black parka hopped on. He had an unnerving smile on his face that made his eyes look extremely narrow to the point where no color showed past his eyelashes as he paid for his ticket. Even the elderly couple stopped their complaining to stare at the guy as he seemed to slither down the aisle.

_______ _ _ _

“Ugh, the youth of today,” the woman muttered to her husband as he passed. The man didn’t seem bothered at all by her words as he sat down right in front of Kageyama.

_______ _ _ _

The man’s smile only seemed to grow the more Kageyama tried to look everywhere but the man, which became almost near impossible when he opened his eyes to reveal a pair of neon- green reptilian eyes. Wherever he turned, they were there taunting him.

_______ _ _ _

Eventually he just gave up trying to avoid the man’s stare and began to stare down at Kenma’s game. From what he could tell, he was fighting an oversized underwater electrical serpent with a mediocre looking sword. He almost found it ironic with the snake-like man sitting before him.

_______ _ _ _

Watching Kenma only worked for a collective of five minutes as the snake boy regained his attention when he began to lick his lips. It wasn’t that he found it sexy or anything; Kageyama was more annoyed when something on the man’s tongue reflected off the sunlight pouring into the bus, hitting him in the face. He expected the man to have a piercing on his tongue, but not of a silver and turquoise leaf. It took all of Kageyama’s power to not sputter and flee with Kenma as he knew that would have been more suspicious than a guy with a ski mask in a bank.

_______ _ _ _

“Like what you see?”

_______ _ _ _

Kageyama jumped at the man’s sudden question, “w-what?”

_______ _ _ _

“I see you’re shy cutie~,” the man’s voice certainly matched his appearance. He spoke with a lisp that put quite the emphasis on each ‘s’ in his sentence, making it sound like he was constantly hissing.

_______ _ _ _

“Don’t worry, I don’t bite. A lot.”

_______ _ _ _

Kageyama could tell the elderly couple was as appalled as him as they moved down a couple more seats closer to the exit.

_______ _ _ _

“Umm, no, I’m fine,” he tried to be as polite as humanly possible, all the while trying to nudge Kenma to get him to put his game down and help him.

_______ _ _ _

“Oh, you’re no fun,” the man’s eyes narrowed again as he stood, “but I’ll have you know I can’t take no for an answer.”

_______ _ _ _

He shed his thick parka to reveal pale green scales that coated his exposed skin under a navy t-shirt.

_______ _ _ _

It wasn’t until screaming filled the bus that Kenma looked up from his game, startled and confused by what he saw until the man seized Kageyama by the collar of his pullover.

_______ _ _ _

“You see this could have all been easy, but you- Augh!” with a hiss of pain, he dropped Kageyama in favor of clutching at his face.

_______ _ _ _

He didn’t know what had just happened until Kenma just muttered something about pepper spray as he rose to his feet. By this point, the bus had stopped and the two fled before the snake man had the chance to give chase.

_______ _ _ _

-

_______ _ _ _

Luckily for them, the bus hadn’t been that far off from Saitama before they ran off it and they were able to make it on time for the train to Utsunomiya.

_______ _ _ _

“Too much running…,” Kenma whined as he ended up leaning up against Kageyama once they secured a seat by the exit.

_______ _ _ _

“Yeah…,” Kageyama had to agree. He liked to run, but with the minimal amount of sleep he had over the last few days and the small bit of food he had in the morning, he was running on fumes.

_______ _ _ _

“I think Kuroo packed us some fo…,” he paused, painfully realizing that in their haste to escape from the man on the bus, they had forgotten their bags. He didn’t need to say anything to Kenma about it as his face was already scrunched up in realization as well.

_______ _ _ _

“…My PSP charger was in that bag…”

_______ _ _ _

“I don’t think that matters right now, dumbass…,” Kageyama didn’t have the energy to sound annoyed, his words just came out as passive as he too began to lean against Kenma, allowing his eyes to begin to droop, relaxing at soft scent of the blonde’s apple shampoo.

_______ _ _ _

“That guy wanted you,” Kenma suddenly spoke, waking the raven haired teen.

_______ _ _ _

“Y-yeah, he had one of those Aoba Johsai pins you told me about.”

_______ _ _ _

“I didn’t see it…”

_______ _ _ _

“On his tongue,” he could feel Kenma’s shiver of disgust, “our stop isn’t for another few hours. I’m gonna try and sleep. Wake me if you want to sleep. I don’t want us to miss our stop.”

_______ _ _ _

Kenma just nodded as he whipped out his PSP, the last sound Kageyama heard before he passed out being the death cry of the serpent creature in the blonde’s game.

_______ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This time the game Kenma plays this time is a reference to Shadow of the Colossus. I know there was no PSP port but I wish there was TAT. Anyways I hope everyone has a lovely day :D


	6. Chapter 6

It had irritated Kuroo to no end how it was easier to get Kenma and Kageyama down to the bus stop than to get back into his own apartment. It wasn’t the sharp pain in his ribs or the pounding in his ears that made it harder, it was the fact that he knew that he’d be alone. No Kenma playing his video games or Kageyama to watch over and he definitely didn’t have the energy for a client.

By the time he made it inside, he only had the energy to collapse onto his futon. He hoped that just hitting the soft bedding would put him to sleep, however his memories of the previous night kept it at bay.

-

Kuroo cursed at himself as his eyes glanced at his phone. He was late for his date with his client. He didn’t exactly want to go and degrade himself to the slimy man, but he paid extremely well and he knew there was a game Kenma was eyeing at the game shop. Not to mention he wanted to pick Kageyama up some of his own clothes.

As he booked it to the bus stop, his phone call from earlier was far from his mind until the scent of cigarette smoke wafted through his nose.

“Tetsurou.”

He stopped right in his tracks and turned towards the alley beside the bus station to see a shorter, curly black haired man saunter out from the shadows with a dying cigarette in hand wearing a pair of high- waisted black shorts and a black halter top that exposed his pale, lightly muscled midriff. The only real cover he wore from the chilly November air was a long grey cardigan that just barely covered his ass and his black knee- length boots that clicked against the sidewalk with each limping step he took toward Kuroo, unaffected by the cold.

“Akaashi.”

“I took care of your client for you. Now you’re mine for the day,” Akaashi stated, smooth as silk and blunt as ever. The same old Akaashi Kuroo knew all too well.

“You’re limping. Did my client hurt you? I can-,“ Akaashi cut him off when he leaned into him, cigarette falling from his hand as he began to stare up at him with his grey-green eyes. He placed a thin, bandaged finger upon his lips with a shake of his head.

“No, Tetsurou… Could you take me home? I’ll explain everything there…,” his voice had lost its bite the more he fell into Kuroo to the point where his legs gave out. Unable to keep standing, the two of them fell onto the concrete.

“A-Akaashi?!” Kuroo tried not to sound panicked as he stared down at the passed out man on top of him whose cardigan had begun to turn a dark red.

-

Kuroo ended up taking Akaashi to his own home. The wound, from what he could tell, had been bandaged up previously, not professionally as Akaashi had told him on more than one occasion that he didn’t trust hospitals. Kuroo even considered bringing him back to his apartment which was closer, but he didn’t want to alert Kageyama or Kenma to his activities.

Akaashi didn’t live in much of a home, but a cathouse dubbed ‘Fukurodani’ that was usually vacant during the day except for the manager. It was actually where Kuroo and Kenma stayed before he had bought his apartment. The building itself was in desperate need of repair, but it still remained popular in the night hours.

“Well, if it isn’t Kuroo Tetsurou!” the manager beamed as she let him in until she noticed the panting Akaashi at his side. Halfway through the trip, he had awakened and demanded to be put on his feet.

“Keiji, what on earth happened to you?! When you said you wanted the night off, I didn’t think you wanted to get in a fight!” she groaned before helping Kuroo get him onto a couch, “first Akinori’s found dead, then Bokuto goes missing, and now here you are bleeding out on my good cushions!”

“Yukie… I don’t think now’s the time to scold him. Could you get some bandages for him? The wound on his back is pretty nasty,” Kuroo didn’t actually know what the wound looked like, only that it had bled like a stuffed pig.

The manager didn’t put up an argument as she disappeared deeper into the cat house with only a tired scratch to her reddish-brown hair and a mumble about food.

“Okay now Akaashi, remove your shirt,” Kuroo demanded when the other still hadn’t budged even an inch except to stare at his feet.

“Come on. Don’t make me have to strip you,” he sighed, bending down to his level to see small tracks of tears running down his cheeks, evaporating away before they reached the bottom of his chin. “…’Kaashi…" Gentle as he could, Kuroo rubbed the un-evaporated tears away from his scalding skin until he ended up taking some of his foundation with them to reveal a large, nasty, bluing bruise that had formed on his cheek.

“Who did this?”

“…It’s not what it seems…”

“Akaashi, that’s not the answer I asked for,” but Kuroo believed he knew the answer already.

“Bokuto… but he wasn’t in his right mind, I swear. He was being manipulated.”

“Was it by Alisa or the Aoba Johsai?”

Kuroo could remember the gorgeous white- haired woman with eyes of vivid forest-green from his days in high school plain as day. She had an allure that attracted men and women alike. Her beauty wasn’t just physical as she had an angelic personality to boot; however it wasn’t often showed as she kept to herself until the day she had approached him. She confessed that she was a mutant and that she knew he was too. She wanted him to help her infiltrate Aoba Johsai’s headquarters, claiming that they were holding her brother captive as if he were a monster. He had refused, and it still haunted him. Alisa had disappeared shortly after that which only furthered his guilt.

“I don’t know… It happened last night. I was trying to find him and when I did, he lashed out.”

“God Akaashi why didn’t you just tell me this in the first place? Is that how you got that wound on your back?”

Akaashi shook his head as he pulled off his cardigan with a wince to reveal four deep gouges in his back that tore through his top to the point where the only thing that kept it in place was the dried blood of his wound and the useless bandage he had tried to stop the bleeding with originally.

“It was someone else. A giant white-haired man… I honestly did think it was Alisa at first… He could have killed me. I saw it in his eyes,” Akaashi’s eyes had become distant.

Neither of them noticed when Yukie returned with a crate full of medical supplies and a tray of onigiri and tea.

-

“Caring for you mutant guys is tough, you know. Do you guys realize how much heat-resistant thread and bandages cost?” Yukie yawned.

By the time she had finished Akaashi’s back, the sun had begun to set and the workers were beginning to pile in to get ready for the night. Akaashi himself had fallen asleep as Yukie sewed up his back while Kuroo stared out the window of the cathouse.

“Ah fine, ignore me… Kaori, you’re watching the club tonight! I need sleep.”

There was a muffled groan from somewhere within the cathouse as Yukie disappeared up to the second floor where the rooms were.

It wasn’t that Kuroo wasn’t paying attention to her, he just didn’t want to look away from the window. He knew something unfriendly was out there. He could feel a stalking gaze focused on the cathouse, but he couldn’t pinpoint where it was exactly. If he could, then they would certainly have an ‘accident’.

“I can feel those eyes,” Akaashi began to mumble, startling Kuroo who turned to find him trying to sit up.

“Akaashi, lay back down. I don’t want you t-“

“Te-Tetsurou lo-look,” Akaashi’s eyes had widened impossibly as he stared beyond the other dark-haired man.

Kuroo didn’t want to look, but he did anyway and found himself staring at an impossibly tall white-haired man with cat-like, hunter green eyes. He was looking down at them through the window with a playful smile.

“Tetsurou-“

“Akaashi, I want you to get everyone in Fukurodani upstairs.”

“But-“

“Just do it! I can handle this myself!” The sharp gold glint in his eyes didn’t leave room for Akaashi to argue as he began to shakily walk away. He only glanced back when Kuroo stepped outside to meet the giant man.

Kuroo didn’t meet many people who were taller than him, so standing before the man who looked like he could be pushing seven foot was rather nerve- racking. But he stood his ground, ready to bite the guy’s head off until the guy beat him to it.

“Aw, I thought Akaashi-san wanted to play, too. I almost won yesterday, y’know! Hanamaki-san said if I won, he’d buy me oinarisan for making his job easier!”

While the white-haired man had height, he certainly wasn’t that far along in puberty judging by his still cracking voice and attitude as he rocked dangerously on his heels, Aoba Johsai pin shining in the street light.

Young or not, however, he was a threat. Bouncing away, Kuroo brought the street lamp down on the man, “well Akaashi isn’t feeling well, but I can fill his place. I’m much more experienced.”

“Oh, I bet!” the teen sang into his ear. He didn’t even have the chance to turn around before he was swatted painfully across the street by what he swore was a lion’s paw and into the side of a dumpster.

“Hmph! It burned when I hit Akaashi-san! You’re just squishy!” He whined as Kuroo tried to rise.

“Well, brat, not all mutants are the same! Try looking where you’re standing!”

The grey haired man looked down, cheeks puffed, “it’s just a sewage grate!”

“Exactly,” with a smile, Kuroo watched as the man plummeted through with a shocked squeak, “well I must admit, I could have handled that a lot b- whoa, God!”

The last thing he expected was to be lifted off the ground and into the air. Looking up took quite the effort, but when he was able to, he caught sight of an owl-like face and a crown of white and black hair with a matching set of wings.

“Holy shit, Bokuto! You winged bastard, put me down!”

“Okaaaay!” with a snicker, he dropped Kuroo, who plummeted like a rock.

“Not in the air!”

It was then that he remembered what Akaashi had said about him. For the second time that day, Kuroo cursed at himself, each raising in severity until he stopped falling a mere foot from the ground.

“Hey, hey, hey, I’m not that cruel! I wouldn’t kill you, we have so much history!” Bokuto laughed as he dropped Kuroo, not caring that he hit his head upon landing, “I’ll just give you a nice old warning from the nice old coots- hey that sounds like hoot! Dammit, distracted again… Anyways, the Aoba Johsai knows where you live and they’re not above taking out your little friend, mutant or not. So stop being a thorn in their side or else!”

Kuroo scowled, spitting a glob of blood and spit at Bokuto’s wings, “go fuck yourself on a pole! The real Bokuto would never threaten Kenma!”

The winged man scrunched up his nose before he stalked over to the opened man hole, “come on, Lev. Get out of that hole, already!”

“And the real Bokuto would never hit Akaashi!”

Bokuto was back over to Kuroo in a flash, his fist raised and gold eyes slits, ready to shut him up permanently, but he never brought it down, he just twitched until Lev called out to him as he had finally managed to get himself out.

“Thanks for the help, Bokuto-san!” he growled sarcastically once the owl-like man turned his attention back on him.

“You got out, didn’t you?” Bokuto puffed, sending Kuroo one more glare before he took flight, picking Lev up as he left, “remember what I said, or else!”

Once the two had disappeared into the moonlight, Kuroo collapsed onto his back, ready to pass out until he remembered he was right in the middle of the road. With a groan, he rose to his feet and looked toward Fukurodani, where he could see Akaashi standing in the doorway, his body steaming in the surely below freezing air.

“Tetsurou, I heard everything,” he took a step forward, then changed his mind as he ducked back inside for a moment before returning with a bodacious woman with chin-length honey blonde hair, “please let Saeko-san take you home, okay?”

“Don’t worry. I promise to drive nicer for once, sweetie!”

-

Kuroo let out a pained moan as he lifted himself off of his futon; his stomach had begun to growl at him. Saeko’s driving was definitely a memory he wanted to forget from the previous night. Wandering over to the kitchen, he found his cellphone on the floor of the hallway. He was almost surprised to find that it didn’t crack.

“I guess that expensive case really was worth it,” he chuckled until he turned on his phone to see a picture of a younger Kenma, Bokuto, and him.

Both him and Kenma were covered in cake and candles while Bokuto stood in the middle with a cheeky grin on his face.

“Oh. November 17th… Happy birthday to me… Woo hoo,” Kuroo ended up chucking his phone across the room, forgetting about it as he raided his pantry for a bag of chips, not stopping even when someone joined him in the kitchen.

“Tetsurou, you really need to lock your door,” Akaashi sighed plainly as he stole a chip for himself.

“And haven’t you heard of knocking, you walking ashtray?”

“What a touchy birthday boy,” he snorted, dodging out of the kitchen before he could get swatted.

“Ugh, what do want, Akaashi?”

“Well, you’re still here, and with Kenma leaving town, I figured you were going to see this Aoba Johsai mess all the way through. Am I wrong?”

Kuroo carded a hand through his still grimy hair, “no, you’re not. I just worry we won’t be able to end this on our own.”

His thought didn’t seem to bother Akaashi, as he just shrugged, “then we don’t. It’s as simple as that.”

“You really need to work on your pep talk, man.”

“You’re not Bokuto. You don’t need false words,” Kuroo rolled his eyes before he shoved the bag of chips at Akaashi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was the easiest to write. Everything just flowed. On a side note, is anyone else still reeling over the Gravity falls series finale? I know I am! As always I hope you all have a nice day or night ฅ(*°ω°*ฅ)


	7. Chapter 7

For once, Kageyama’s dreams weren’t filled with nightmares as he instead found himself dreaming about his thirteenth birthday back in the gym of his middle school. While the rest of the team had forgotten, (not that he told them or anything) Oikawa and Iwaizumi had remembered.

_“Oh birthday boy, it’s birthday smack time!” _Oikawa laughed as he trotted over to swat at the boy until Iwaizumi shooed him away.__

_“Hey Trashykawa, try counting your hits next time, I think you got him a good twenty times!” _Kageyama could remember the nasty bruise that had formed on his arm the next day and how Oikawa had later commented on how it looked like fish, like he was proud.__

_“Sorry Iwa-Chan, I just couldn’t resist!” _he smiled with a pinch to his kouhai’s cheek before Iwaizumi could beat him away again, _“sooo Iwa-Chan, did you remember the cake?”___

__

Kageyama tilted his head in confusion as Iwaizumi motioned to the two black haired teens, Kunimi and Kindaichi, in the back of the gym until they brought over a decent- sized vanilla cake covered in chocolate flakes and candles.

__

_“The trash king and I baked this for you. Happy birthday, Kageyama,” _Iwaizumi said with a soft smile that Kageyama could see Oikawa swooning to. He didn’t know what to say as he stared down at the cake. He wasn’t given a cake that day, but a store- bought vanilla chocolate cupcake with a small sugar volleyball atop the frosting that he ended up trying to offer to Oikawa after a practice match when he missed a serve.__

__

He shook his head as he had a bad feeling, _“ah, no, I think I’ll just have some after pr-,“ _he didn’t get to finish as Oikawa shoved a fork-full of the cake into his mouth with a wide smile on his face.__

__

_“See? Isn’t it good, Tobio-Chan?” _he sang happily as the gym around Kageyama began to crumble away to reveal a bright, white lab-like room.__

__

Kageyama couldn’t move, he also could barely see a thing. Everything in the room had the same sterile glow that was hard to focus on for more than two seconds.

__

_“This is just a dream. It’s just a dream…,” _he repeated over and over until he found something that didn’t burn his eyes. Appearing out of seemingly nowhere was a much younger Iwaizumi who rocked easily on his bandaged feet as he picked at his worn black tank top, an anxious smile on his face.__

__

_“Tobio, I want you to kill him,” _a much older man’s voice sounded off from behind him.__

__

_“Wh-what? N-no, I refuse, damn it!”_

____

It may have been a dream, but Kageyama wanted some control of the outcome. He didn’t want to kill Iwaizumi again even it was just a dream. He refused to relive it.

____

_“O-okay sir…”_

_____ _

His eyes widened as he heard his own voice, only younger before he watched as the child Iwaizumi fell to the floor with a thud. He was speechless even as the world began to crumble around him with the low voice of Kenma telling him to wake up.

_____ _

“Come on, Kageyama. We’re in Utsunomiya,” Kenma spoke, nudging at Kageyama until his eyes snapped open.

_____ _

True to his word, the train was stopped at the train station with a huge sign outside the window that read ‘Welcome to Utsunomiya’.

_____ _

“Sorry… bad dream again, I guess,” though he wasn’t exactly sure if it was a dream or not anymore.

_____ _

Kenma didn’t ask for the details as they disembarked much to his relief, however any relief he had quickly vanished when they saw who was waiting for them outside the train.

_____ _

“Hey there, cuties. Did you miss me?” the snake-like man growled in a none too friendly way. His face still appeared to be irritated by the pepper spray as his skin was flaking and his eyes still showed red even as they were narrowed dangerously.

_____ _

“You two may have given me the slip once but Daishou Suguru hasn’t failed a mission yet!”

_____ _

Showing off his inhuman fangs, he stepped forward, only to stop when Kageyama stood protectively in front of Kenma.

_____ _

“You know brat, I don’t want to be out here and you seem to care about that pudding head, so why don’t we make a deal: you come with me back to my master, and I let Pudding Head go. He’s on my kill list, so choose wisely.”

_____ _

Kageyama bit at his lip in consideration until Kenma buried his hand into the back of his pull over, “don’t trust him… He’s lying. ”

_____ _

He didn’t argue, “no deal. We’ll take our chances!”

_____ _

His words didn’t please Daishou as he began to vibrate in anger.

_____ _

“You know, I tried to be nice, but you know what? Who gives a shit?!”

_____ _

Screams of a giant snake began to fill the train station as people began to flee. Kageyama didn’t understand until he heard Kenma scream too. Turning as fast as he could, he was greeted by the sight of an over- sized anaconda holding Kenma up by the collar of his sweater. While Kenma did kick at the snake, it didn’t seem to care as it chucked the teen over to Daishou easily before turning its beady gaze on Kageyama, flicking his tongue almost hungrily.

_____ _

“You see, you little shit, you piss me off,” he hissed as he dug his fingers into Kenma’s hair to bare his neck to Kageyama while his other held his thin wrists together, “you basically told me that I don’t keep my word and this brat right here is in agreement. Don’t think I didn’t hear you two talking.”

_____ _

Kenma said nothing as he looked at Kageyama pleadingly. Kageyama himself was having his own issues as the anaconda kept trying to circle him. He had to be thankful that the heating in the station was only minimal. If it wasn’t, he was sure he would have been in the snake’s maw already.

_____ _

“But I guess all that doesn’t matter in the end. Pudding Head, you’ll be a tasty snack for my beauty and that brat over there will be sitting pretty as my master’s new trophy.”

_____ _

Kageyama saw red. Everything around him began to disappear except for the anaconda and Daishou’s smug face that seemed to diminish when he saw Kageyama’s face.

_____ _

“He-Heh…,” he took a step back, unable to look away from the burning navy eyes that followed his every movement, “c-c’mon move, Nohebi, get him! Make him stop looking at me!”

_____ _

But the snake did nothing but lower itself in submission.

_____ _

A wide, eerie smile formed on Kageyama’s face as he began to move toward the snake man, “your snake’s right to fear me. Put my friend down and I’ll let you go slither back to your master.”

_____ _

When Daishou didn’t move, the arm that was holding Kenma snapped, as did his right leg.

_____ _

“You should have listened to me. I hate it when people don’t listen,” Kageyama spat as the man fell, allowing Kenma to roll away free.

_____ _

With Kenma out of danger, Kageyama went in for the kill, his smile growing as he began to choke the life out of the troublesome man until he didn’t see Daishou’s face anymore, but Iwaizumi’s disappointed one. With a small grunt of pain, his concentration snapped and Daishou fell to the concrete, panting heavily but alive.

_____ _

“Wow, kid… Nngh… I-I see why my master wants you. You’re a killer!” he laughed, voice scratchy as he watched the dark haired teen back away.

_____ _

Tears of realization began to pour down Kageyama’s face. He had almost killed again.

_____ _

“K-Kageyama let’s get out of here,” Kenma whined when he saw the younger boy begin to deteriorate. When he didn’t move, Kenma ended up dragging him away until he was able to start moving for himself.

_____ _

-

_____ _

The two didn’t stop running until they were at the city limits and staring at a wide countryside that looked like it went on forever in the now dark sky. They both ended up collapsing in the grassiest field they could find.

_____ _

“Where do we go from here?” Kenma panted, unconsciously trying to hide his neck from the other teen who had begun to stare at the red marks that had formed from where the snake held him.

_____ _

Jumping slightly, Kageyama began to dig his hands through the pullover’s pocket for the map, only to realize it wasn’t there.

_____ _

“Shit. Must have lost it in the fight.”

_____ _

“Of course. That seems like how it always works…,” the blonde yawned as he pulled out his PSP, which hadn’t broken much to his relief; however, its battery was another story, “well, the sun’s gone. We might as well sleep.”

_____ _

Kageyama nodded, “I’ll stay up and keep watch.” It was the least he could do.

_____ _

Kenma said nothing. He just curled closer to him for warmth and fell asleep. Luckily for the both of them, it wasn’t that cold that night, which was the best thing that had happened to them all day.

_____ _


	8. Chapter 8

Hanamaki stared down at the text on his phone with irritation.

‘The kid got away.’

The simple reply pissed him off even more than his failure. Daishou hadn’t gone into any detail on how he had failed.

He didn’t bother sending a text back to him. He just tossed his phone aside and looked at the anxious brunette and disinterested raven haired men that sat before him in his booth. After he was told to keep the new recruits busy, he brought them all to his favorite café. The coffee was mediocre at best, but to him, the barista had a nice ass and that made it all worth it.

“Well, it looks your friend gave one of my best the slip, making my job a lot harder, which I don’t like. You see, my boss doesn’t like people who fail him. Do you three catch my drift?”

The brunette nodded vigorously, nudging at the two beside him to do the same.

“Good. Now he shouldn’t be too hard to find in Utsunomiya. Find him, kill him, and return. Nothing more, nothing less. A lot is riding on you three if you want to prove your loyalty to Aoba Johsai.”

The brunette this time saluted, “we understand, Makki-Chan! Right guys?”

The two other teens just looked at him awkwardly.

Hanamaki’s eye twitched at the teen’s antics, “ugh, whatever. Just get it done. If you fail, it won’t be your asses getting broke, it’ll be mine.”

The three left shortly after that, leaving Hanamaki on his own with just his coffee and buzzing phone to keep him company.

“Those idiots should have just forgotten about Iwaizumi and stayed home…,” he sighed into his cup before allowing his eyes to fall on the tall, dark haired man behind the counter tending to customers with a lazy smile.

-

Kageyama didn’t remember passing out. He only remembered closing his eyes for a moment and then the next thing he knew, the sun was starting to peak over the horizon and that Kenma and him weren’t alone. There was something large moving around in the grass around them.

“K-Kenma… Come on wake up,” he whispered, shaking the older teen’s shoulder. However, he received no response.

“Kenma,” he tried firmer, trying to keep the worry from his voice. But when he still received no response, he brought his hand to the blonde’s cheek to find it burning hot. Beside himself, he let off a frantic cry as he rolled the other onto his back to find his face flushed and breathing shallow. By this point, Kageyama had almost completely forgotten about the possible murderer or Aoba Johsai member around him until he heard a loud gasp from behind him.

Sharply turning, he briefly spotted what he assumed to be a young dark haired boy before he dove back into the grass with a frightened squeak. Kageyama didn’t know what to say as he turned his attention back to Kenma, only to have something hit him upside the head. Annoyed, he looked to his side to find the offending object which happened to be a good sized rock.

“I know what you are! I’ve seen your kind in big brother’s TV dramas!” the boy declared as he lobbed another rock Kageyama’s way, “you’re gonna hurt him and then people are gonna cry an-and-“

“You dumbass brat, I’m not trying to hurt him! He’s sick damn it, either help or go away!”

The rocks luckily stopped as the boy emerged from the grass.

The boy wasn’t as young as he originally looked. He looked to be pushing thirteen with an awkward bowl cut with some of it pinned back with a purple hair clip. The rest he pushed out of his pale face with dirt- caked fingers as he leaned closer to Kenma to get his own look as if to determine whether Kageyama was lying or not. When he seemed satisfied, he removed his backpack and began to pull out random items like mushrooms or potatoes until finally he produced a bottle of water.

“Here. This should help until we get back to my place. But be warned: I’m watching you,” the boy stated as Kageyama took the bottle, touching it to Kenma’s head. He wasn’t exactly threatening, but Kageyama didn’t want to get on the kid’s bad side for Kenma’s sake.

-

The boy introduced himself as Goshiki Tsutomu and promptly began talking a mile a minute about a man named Wakatoshi and how he was the best at everything. Kageyama faded in and out of the conversation. His main concern was keeping the bottle to Kenma’s head as he carried him while occasionally trying to get him to drink some when he came to every now and then.

“And Wakatoshi can run a farm and teach me volleyball at the same time! He’s amazing, though someday I’ll pass him and then I’ll get to take care of him!”

“Awww Tsu-Tsu, you’ll break Wakatoshi’s heart if he hears you say that!” a snide voice remarked the moment they got out of the brush. While Kageyama didn’t see the person, he was however greeted by the sight of a weathered, two-story house that was starting to be reclaimed by nature and animals as a rooster came flying off the porch and a goat lounged away on a couch swing, occasionally nibbling at the upholstery.

“Just shut it, Tendou!” Goshiki barked, his face flustered as he stared down at the rooster that landed before him.

“So who’re your friends, Tsutomu? They look like they fell straight out of The Ring! You couldn’t sleep for weeks after I showed you it and look! You brought it home!”

The rooster began to bounce around Goshiki, laughing each time the boy went to grab it.

“Tendou, stop playing with Goshiki or I swear you’ll be on the menu tonight!” an angry voice shouted from the porch, gaining everyone’s attention.

The voice belonged to a young man standing on the rickety porch wearing a lilac apron with a matching bandana wrapped around his unevenly cut copper hair. He was holding a spatula that he looked about ready to throw at the rooster until it shifted into a tall man with spiked back flaming red hair and eyes that looked dopey.

“Pfft. Shirabu, you’re no fun,” he snorted before he stared over at Kageyama who stared at him incredulously, “what? I don’t have chicken feathers on my butt still, do I?”

“Y-you… chicken-“

“Technically I was a rooster, duh. Haven’t you ever seen a shape shifter? It’s not that uncommon. Well I suppose unless you hate mutants. Do you?”

When his eyes went dangerously wide, Kageyama shook his head as his palms began to sweat, making him have to shift Kenma around.

“Tendou, stop making an ass of yourself! Clearly they need help,” Shirabu barked before he gestured to Kageyama to come over, “why don’t you make yourselves useful and get Wakatoshi. Breakfast is ready.”

“Is it pancakes?”

Shirabu pinched the bridge of his nose, “yes Tendou, it’s pancakes.”

With a cheer, both Goshiki and Tendou took off to where Kageyama didn’t know as he was led inside.

The interior held up better than the exterior as everything was much tidier. The floor boards were polished and the walls were the same lilac as Shirabu’s attire, while the furniture was a soft crème. The sweet scent of pancakes filled the air, making the place feel homey to Kageyama. It put him at ease.

“You can put your friend on the sofa,” Shirabu directed before he disappeared into the kitchen.

Kageyama did as he was told, but getting Kenma to let go of him began to prove difficult.

“…Kuroo…,” the blonde whined out quietly the more he tried to pry himself free. Eventually however, he let go and fell onto the sofa as Shirabu returned, shoving a spoonful of pale orange liquid into his mouth.

“Just a bit of poppy to calm him down,” he clarified, but Kageyama wasn’t listening as he stood there staring down at Kenma’s flushed face.

It wasn’t new to him that it was his fault that Kenma was in his current situation. If Kuroo hadn’t stopped him from falling off the bridge, Kenma would still be back at his apartment playing his video games, not having just almost been killed or sick with possibly pneumonia or the flu or something even more deadly.

“Hey, I’m tempted to give you some of that medicine. You’re making my furniture float.”

It was true, looking around, Kageyama could see a couple of things floating around the room including the couch Kenma lay on. Shocked by his own actions, he dropped everything with the grace of a bull in a china shop, much to Shirabu’s chagrin as a vase cracked against the wooden floor.

“I-I…,” Kageyama began to stammer.

“It’s fine,” the man sighed as he walked away to sweep up the mess, “trust me. Much worse has happened in this house.”

Kageyama didn’t press.

“So anyways, what brings you two out here? There’s nothing out this way but fresh air, I suppose.”

“We were looking for the Ushijima farm, but…”

“Well you don’t have to look any further. You found it. I take it Kuroo Tetsurou sent you both.”

Kageyama nodded quietly, his gaze still on Kenma. Watching him, Shirabu opened his mouth to say something, but promptly shut it when the front door was kicked open by Tendou and Goshiki’s shout for food.

As the two barreled through the door, they were followed by a massive lightly tanned man with olive hair and eyes. In contrast to the other two, he held a stern, no-nonsense kind of face that sent a small chill up Kageyama’s spine when he acknowledged him with a small nod.

“Go eat. I’ll take care of your friend, don’t worry,” Kageyama was startled by Shirabu’s hand on his shoulder, “you look like you really could use the food.”


	9. Chapter 9

While the pancakes were delicious, they didn’t stop Kageyama from feeling awkward around the other three at the small dining table.

Ushijima Wakatoshi, as Tendou introduced the tanned man, sat right across from the dark haired teen with Tendou and Goshiki sitting on either side. While the two talked on about random things, Ushijima stared at Kageyama, only stopping every few minutes to take a bite of food.

“How’s Kuroo?”

Kageyama bounced at the man’s booming voice before shrinking low to the table when the windows began to rattle.

“Why so jumpy? He asked you a question. Or do you-“

“N-no, damn it! I just don’t have a lot of experience around other mutants or even being one. It’s still all overwhelming…”

‘Too overwhelming,’ he thought painfully.

“Then show us what you can do. Come on Tsu-Tsu, help.”

“Yeah, yeah, you should show us! I bet your power’s cooler than big brother’s!”

At his words, Tendou scowled before turning back to Kageyama, who had gone pale.

“O-okay…,” he wasn’t comfortable with the idea, but with Goshiki and Tendou’s expecting stares, he knew he had to do something. Nervously, he focused on the syrup sitting innocently on the middle of the table and tried to raise it like he had the bowl at Kuroo’s apartment, but it didn’t move. Instead, he heard a squeal of delight come from Goshiki. He had lifted the younger teen from his seat and into the air.

“Wow, so cool! You’re definitely more awesome than Tendou! Look Wakatoshi, I’m flying!”

While Tendou and him were marveled by the display, both Ushijima and Kageyama himself were not.

“Put him down now,” Ushijima ordered, his voice causing the room to tremor. It wasn’t that Kageyama wanted to keep Goshiki flying through the air; it was that he couldn’t bring him down no matter how much he tried. He had no control and it scared him.

His chair hitting the floor, Ushijima rose and pulled Goshiki down himself.

“If you’re not confident with your abilities, then don’t try,” he almost growled as he pulled the whining child from the room.

Kageyama’s face burned with shame as he tried to get up, only to have Tendou shove him back down and stick a tissue up his nose.

“Shirabu would kill you if got blood on the table cloth. He made it himself.”

Kageyama didn’t even notice that his nose had been bleeding until he saw the small droplets on his plate.

“Oh.”

Tendou snorted before he began to clean up the table.

“Don’t take it personally. That’s just good old Wakatoshi. He takes no shit and especially doesn’t like people messing with Goshiki,” he left it at that as Shirabu walked in with Kenma shakily trailing close behind. His face was still flushed but he still had the energy to hold up his dead PSP as if in mourning as Shirabu helped him into a chair.

“…I was almost done with the game…,” he sighed lowly when he noticed Kageyama’s stare, sighing again when the younger teen seemed to relax at his words.

“Kenma, I’m-“

“Please save it. I was already sick before this all happened. The cold just made it worse… I hate the cold,” he mumbled before staring down at the pancakes Shirabu placed in front of him. He was more particularly eying the cinnamon apples sitting atop the small stack.

“Hey, how come he got apples?” Tendou whined until he was kicked out of the kitchen by the shorter man.

“Because he asked, now go make yourself useful and tend to the animals!” Shirabu barked until the red head was out the door to escape his ire.

-

After Kenma had finished eating, Shirabu ushered him away upstairs where he wanted him to rest. When the latter returned downstairs, he found that Kageyama hadn’t moved from his spot. He just stared out the window at the now afternoon sunlight.

“Instead of just staring out into space, why don’t you help me around the house?”

His answer came in a small nod as Kageyama rose from his chair. His nose had stopped bleeding by this point, leaving only small dried tracks of blood to prove that it had happened.

“Ushijima mentioned to me what happened. Are you okay?” Shirabu asked before handing a broom and dust pan to the teen.

“Can we talk about something else?” He really didn’t want talk about it if he had the choice.

Shirabu shrugged, “what do you want to talk about then?”

“I remember Goshiki saying that Ushijima was a good volleyball player. Did he try to go national?”

Shirabu offered him a sad smile, “he did. Tendou, him, and I were on the same team. He was our ace while I set and Tendou played middle blocker. Our team played exceptionally well and naturally we made it to nationals, but we were disqualified in the semi finals.”

Kageyama tilted his head, urging him to go on, his dusting job forgotten.

“Tendou had a lapse of control in his mutant ability. So many people were screaming that he was a monster. Ushijima ousted himself to get them to stop and it worked to be honest. I’ll never forget the looks of horror from the audience and the badgering chanting that forced them to runaway. While I’m not a mutant, I ran with them. They were my friends, and I didn’t care if they were mutant or not.”

With a soft hum, he wandered over to a drawer littered with an assortment of framed photographs, staring at each one before picking up one in an ornate frame and giving it to Kageyama, “I’ve always wondered if Wakatoshi regretted his decision. Volleyball was his life.”

The Polaroid didn’t fit the frame. It moved around as the teen held it. The photo itself was grainy, but he could easily tell who was in it except for one person. It was of Tendou and Shirabu with Ushijima and an unknown man with darker skin and even darker hair that thinned out into a buzz cut as it went in the middle. They were stood in front of the farm house which looked much better than it did now. They all seemed to be smiling in their own way as Tendou held up the camera.

“That was when we first got here three years ago. The farm had belonged to Ushijima’s grandparents and they let us have it while they toured the world. It wasn’t until a year later that Wakatoshi brought Goshiki home…,” he seemed to space out after that.

Kageyama didn’t want to pry even if he was curious about the mystery man. He could only assume that he had something to do with Goshiki or had died. When he opened his mouth to say more, Kageyama began to talk.

“Volleyball was the only thing I was good at, so I guess you can say it was my life too, but I haven’t had the time to even think about it lately,” anytime he thought about volleyball, Iwaizumi came to mind and his stomach began to churn, “not that I even have a future in it anymore. I didn’t work well with others and I didn’t have many friends, if any. People say I have a scary face.”

“You probably just never met the right people,” Shirabu offered as he replaced the photograph, his eyes lingering on it for a moment, “and for what it’s worth, you don’t have a scary face. You just need to smile more often. I don’t think I’ve seen you without that scowl all day.”

For Shirabu, Kageyama tried to give him a genuine smile.

“See now that’s better,” he gave him a smile of his own, trying not to give away the fact that he was making a note to help him work on it.

-

When the sun began to set, the others came in from off the farm and settled in the living room to watch TV. Kenma had even wandered down while Shirabu and Kageyama made dinner. Shirabu was doing most of the work however as Kageyama had nearly cut his finger off with a knife while cutting a head of cabbage.

“You suck at cooking,” Goshiki laughed as he trotted into the kitchen for a drink.

“I do no-,“ he stopped himself when he looked down at the teen as he dug through the ice box. His shirt had ridden up to reveal long, jagged, pale pink gashes that littered the exposed skin.

“Heh, so I am right! Shirabu, let me help instead!” without waiting, he seized the knife and tried to push Kageyama out of the way. It was almost instantaneously that Ushijima materialized out of seemingly nowhere and took the knife and pushed the two of them out of the kitchen.

“No fair!” the shorter teen moaned until Tendou told him to shut his face and sit down.

While Goshiki remained stubborn, Kageyama took a seat on the couch next to Kenma who had curled himself into a fleece blanket with a fuzzy pillow supporting his head. They had the news on, but no one but Tendou was really paying attention. That was until the news woman began to babble about Tokyo.

_“As of right now, it is highly recommended to stay out of the downtown Tokyo area.” ___

Images of crumbling buildings, warped street signs, and frantic people covered the screen as the woman went on.

_“From what our sources are telling us, there was a territorial dispute between two groups of mutants. Two of the aggressors: Akaashi Keiji ,age 19 and Kuroo Tetsurou, also age 19 have been detained and sent to the Aoba Johsai for questioning.” ___

An image of a forlorn and an even worse for wear Kuroo appeared alongside the picture of another dark haired man that Kageyama didn’t recognize. He didn’t look as beat up as Kuroo, but he had a nasty cut across the side of his malevolent face which he assumed was directed at the camera person whether they deserved it or not.

Kageyama could hear Kenma whining at his side.

“K-Kuroo…”

When he began to reach out to the screen, Kageyama lost it. He was on his feet in an instant, running out the door as fast as he could before anyone could stop him. While he didn’t have much of a plan, he knew he couldn’t just go off to freedom while Kuroo suffered. The Aoba Johsai seemed to show enough interest in him to send Daishou at him. He figured he could negotiate with them, that was until he heard the familiar call of his name.

“Tobio-Chan~ Senpai finally found you!”

“Oi-Oikawa.”

Before him stood the brunette, his hands on his hips, his eyes alight with a fire that scared the shorter teen. To make matters worse, he wasn’t alone. At his side stood the spiky haired Kindaichi and the ever emotionless Kunimi. They each had the shining mark of the Aoba Johsai on their chests.

“Now how about we have a nice chat? It’s been awhile since we’ve seen each other.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, have a wonderful day and week. The next chapter will be up next weekend ʚ♡⃛ɞ(ू•ᴗ•ू❁)


	10. Chapter 10

Oikawa didn’t chase after Kageyama when he fled. Other than the fact that he was too stunned to move, he didn’t want to leave Iwaizumi’s side.

“You’re still warm. Y-you can’t be gone, Iwa-Chan…,” he choked out as he brought Iwaizumi’s body closer to his chest, “I-I don’t know how to live without you anymore… I can’t even remember the time I did.”

“Oikawa, what happened to Kageyama? Did he fr- Oh my God…,” Kindaichi’s voice trailed off as he entered the storage room, blocking any of the light coming in, “Kunimi, call an ambulance now!”

“Why what hap-,“ Oikawa could only assume Kunimi had poked his head in and saw what had happened as he said nothing after that except for a small, “okay.”

Kindaichi wandered over shortly after that, a hand covering his mouth as he bent down to check Iwaizumi himself.

“His neck’s broken. God Oikawa, what happened? Was it Kageyama or-,“ his sentence went unfinished as the brunette lunged at him.

“How could you even think that?! It was Kageyama! He killed him! He killed Iwaizumi!” Oikawa screamed hysterically over and over, pounding his fists into the younger student’s chest until he became tired and collapsed onto him. It was by this point that Kunimi returned, an impassive look on his face.

“I take it you heard everything?” 

“Everyone heard everything,” he stated smoothly, “I asked everyone to leave. They don’t need to see how this ends.”

-

When the police arrived, they immediately brought in a stretcher to take Iwaizumi away. It took everything in Kindaichi and Kunimi’s power to keep Oikawa from attacking at them.

“He can’t breathe in there! Stop it, he gets claustrophobic!” the brunette wailed at the passive policemen until the youngest one of the bunch walked up to the three of them.

The man was shorter than the three of them, but the way he carried himself made up for it. He held an intimidating look in his honey eyes that only seemed to soften slightly when he spoke.

“Hello, I’m Officer Semi Eita,” he sighed as he pulled off his hat to reveal a mess of white hair with fading black tips to scratch at his head, “it’s been a long day for me and I’m sure it’s been even worse for you all. My boss asked me to take you three home with the notion that we question you all tomorrow. Sound like a plan?”

When Oikawa opened his mouth to object, the first years covered it.

“Yes, that is fine,” Kindaichi responded, “I think it would be a good thing for our friend here anyway.” The brunette sent the taller teen a glare as they were led away from the gym.

-

Semi ended up dropping everyone off at Oikawa’s house as his parents were out of town on business. The officer really didn’t want to have to explain to anyone what had transpired that evening. It was this behavior that annoyed Oikawa to no end.

“Incompetent ass,” he growled plainly as he tried to let his teammates into his house only to find that his hands were too shaky to even grip his key properly. Kunimi ended up taking the key from him and opening it himself.

Once inside, he immediately broke away from the two.

“My room’s upstairs, first door to the left. Go make yourselves comfortable or whatever,” he tried to keep his voice even but he was failing.

“You shouldn’t be alone,” Kindaichi reasoned while Kunimi nodded, his eyes following his senior’s movement.

“I want to be alone,” Oikawa spat angrily, “why is that so hard to understand?”

The two said nothing after that. They just backed away and disappeared up to the second floor, much to Oikawa’s relief as he collapsed on his living room couch. He closed his eyes in hopes that he would wake up later to find that it had all been a cruel dream.

“Iwa-Chan, tell me you love me please.”

His eyes shot open.

_“I love you, you shitty bastard,” _he could almost feel Iwaizumi’s lips on his, _“and I always will.” _____

Oikawa was up almost instantly. There were too many memories in this house. He wanted out. Not even picking up a coat, he ran out the door, not caring where he ended up. Anywhere at this moment was better.

Unfortunately, as he soon realized, there was an even worse place for him to end up: Iwaizumi’s house. He had never been inside, but he had walked him home numerous times. It was almost an unspoken rule between the two that he wasn’t allowed over. He’d always assumed it was because his parents were homophobic, but he never pressed the issue. His home always looked unkempt with overgrown hedges and patchy grass, but Iwaizumi had always told him he liked it that way. He said bug-hunting was easier as a child that way. Another thing he noticed was that no one ever appeared to be home. The driveway was always desolate.

“I shouldn’t be here…,” Oikawa reasoned with himself even as he walked up the cracking steps. Even as he rattled the door knob to find it unlocked.

Pushing all thoughts aside, he stepped inside to be greeted by a near bare house that looked like it hadn’t been occupied in years. Any furniture that remained on the lower level was covered in a fine sheet of undisturbed dust.

“Iwaizumi lives here?” he coughed until he realized what he said.

_‘He lived here,’ _his head corrected him painfully. Sighing, he decided to go to the second level.__

The stairs shook and creaked under his weight, threatening to give way, but he didn’t pay attention as he looked along the wall as he climbed. The walls were littered with musty photographs, but none of them were of Iwaizumi as far as he could tell. Most of them consisted of an older gentleman and a grouchy looking teenager with a buzz cut that progressed into an even more annoyed man with blonde hair, while others contained a breathtaking dark haired woman with glasses and the aging man. None of the pictures contained all three. The pictures confused him, but he didn’t put much thought into it as he finally reached the top to find a cracked door awaiting him. Pushing it open, he found what he assumed to be Iwaizumi’s room.

The room, unlike the rest of the house, was dust free and neat. A small futon sat in the corner with a desk on the other side, a small TV on the other side with Iwaizumi’s folded jersey and a textbook on top. Removing the book, he took the jersey and collapsed onto the futon with a soft cry.

His chest had begun to burn as Iwaizumi’s scent circled around: a sweet vanilla that held a bit of spice, a scent he thought described the man he loved perfectly.

_“Oikawa… I know I don’t always show it, but you really do mean the world to me.” ___

Tears streaked down Oikawa’s face. He could remember when Iwaizumi said that as if it were just yesterday. Iwaizumi was spending the night and he was sure he assumed he had fallen asleep before he said it as he had become flustered when Oikawa had leaned over to place a kiss upon his nose.

“You meant the world to me too, Iwa-Chan,” he mumbled before slipping the jersey on. Iwaizumi may have been shorter, but he was thicker all around. The shirt ended up hanging on him awkwardly but he didn’t care as he decided to look more around the room for more mementos.

Shifting around the closet only revealed that Iwaizumi didn’t do his laundry often as he came across sweaty shirt after sweaty shirt. In the end, the only thing of real merit he found came from the desk. One of the drawers had been nearly filled to the brim with photographs. Triumphantly, he took the drawer back to the futon but not before flipping on the TV for some background noise.

The majority of the photos were of Iwaizumi and him throughout the years, the earliest being from their later elementary years, a fact that always confused him. He remembered meeting Iwaizumi on his fifth birthday when he found him all alone in the park hunting for bugs and hit it off as he was the only one that listened to him on his alien theories.

By the time he had reached the bottom of the drawer, the sun had began to peak over the horizon.

“Wow, morning already and didn’t sleep a wink.”

With a tired hum, he began to pile the photos back in until he came across one he had missed. This photo was unlike the rest. It was labeled: ‘The Puppet and Crow.’ Turning it over, he was greeted by Iwaizumi’s smiling face as he held up a young but familiar raven- haired baby boy.

“Kageyama…,” Oikawa spat, his body beginning to shake, “Kageyama!”

With one quick movement he ripped the photo apart, in the process knocking the drawer over, scattering the photos everywhere.

“He’s a monster! A liar! He-“

“Hey, who’s up there?!” a familiar voice called up as the stairs began to squeak.

With a scowl, he exited only to be greeted by Officer Semi Eita’s annoyed face.

“Oh, this is where you went. You had your friends worried sick about you. They thought you were gonna do something stupid,” he explained as he tried to look around the teen and into the room.

“Ah no, I assure you I wasn’t!” Oikawa responded as sweetly as he could, “I couldn’t sleep without knowing that Iwa-Ch- Iwaizumi’s parents knew, but I don’t think they live here… The door was unlocked. I’m sorry for trespassing, Semi-san.”

The officer raised an eyebrow but if he knew he was lying, he didn’t call the brunette on it.

“Well, I’ve come to the same conclusion as you. This house was owned by an old fart living with his grandchildren, one of them was killed before your friend, apparently by a mutant.”

“Umm, what happened to the old man? I mean, if you don’t mind me asking.”

Semi scratched at his head as if he had forgotten himself, “have you ever heard of the Aoba Johsai, that mutant ‘rehabilitation’ group? I heard he works with them. Now that you know, can I get your statement about the previous night? The news station for some reason is really eager to get this story out.”

Oikawa nodded and began his tale, wanting to get it done as soon as possible, except he left out one detail. He didn’t say Kageyama was a mutant and Semi didn’t ask.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next few chapters will be focusing on Oikawa like this one and they were quite the pain in the butt to write so I apologize ahead of time if they are not the best. As always have a great day everyone!


	11. Chapter 11

Semi ended up taking Oikawa back to his own house with the hope that he’d stay put. The brunette unnerved him with his fake smile.

“I hope you have a nice day, Semi-san,” Oikawa waved as he jumped out of the car. Semi didn’t wave back as he waited for the teen to get inside.

“That kid was near inconsolable yesterday. I doubt he boomeranged that fast,” he mumbled to himself as he drove away. He still had to scope out ‘Iwaizumi’s’ house, a task he didn’t rightfully want to do. The house gave him the creeps.

-

Bounding up to his room, Oikawa was greeted by the sight of Kindaichi and Kunimi asleep on his bed with the TV on mute. Any other day he would snap an incriminating photo but for now, his priorities rested with his laptop.

Ignoring his wallpaper of Iwaizumi and him, he went on the internet and began his search of the Aoba Johsai. Semi hadn’t told him much about the old man other than the fact that he had lost a loved one to a mutant as well. He wanted a kindred spirit.

/>

The first article he came across was nothing but praise for the Aoba Johsai and how they kept the streets free of dangerous mutants and how and where to donate to their cause. Not the information he wanted. Scrolling around he came up with the same information over and over with the occasional sprinkle of how their tactics were inhumane and subjugating. Just when he was about to give up however, he found a small article on the Tokyo Police’s current superintendent-general, Yasufumi Nekomata that had been written years ago.

_In the rise of mutant-related attacks, Superintendent-General Nekomata has decided to sanction the affairs of the group, the Aoba Johsai. With mutant gangs like Johzenji on the rise, this partnership may be the best for keeping the public safe. Nekomata will be meeting with Aoba Johsai’s Ukai Ikkei within the week to discuss the arrangement. ___

The thought of mutant gangs made him wonder what had become of Kageyama. If he hadn’t been caught and was still on the run, would he turn to them?

‘He had killed Iwaizumi easily enough, they would welcome him with open arms,’ he thought negatively. He didn’t want anyone else to suffer through his pain.

“Sooo all I need to do is talk to Nekomata then!” Oikawa chirped loudly enough to wake up his sleeping teammates who began to groan.

“Oikawa, when’d you get back?” Kindaichi yawned, “you should have woken us up.”

Kunimi didn’t share his thoughts as he rolled back over, dead to the world once again.

“I’m sorry. You both looked so comfy.”

The spiky haired teen scoffed, “not really. I had a dream I was a bald superhero living in poverty! I barely even had enough money for a plate of French fries!”

Oikawa chuckled softly as Kindaichi began to stroke at his head like he was checking to make sure it was all there.

“Anyways, where’d you go off to? Did Officer Semi find you?”

Oikawa nodded as he joined the others on his bed, “yeah, he found me at Iwaizumi’s.”

“Why would you go there?” Kunimi’s muffled voice spoke, “didn’t he try to headbutt you when you tried to follow him in once?”

The brunette scoffed, “yes and that’s beside the point! Semi-san mentioned a group called the Aoba Johsai and I decided to do some research. Apparently they work to keep dangerous mutants off the street. Don’t you think if Kageyama wasn’t around, Iwaizumi would still be?”

“You think Kageyama was a mutant?” Kindaichi questioned.

“Yes! I know so! Do you really think Tobio-Chan would be strong enough to do all of that to Iwa-Chan without any injury to himself?”

Kindaichi shook his head until Kunimi began to brace himself against him so he could sit up.

“Anyway, I think we should join them! No one else should have to lose their loved ones like I- like we lost Iwaizumi!” he looked to each of his friend’s for their reactions eagerly: Kindaichi looked at him approvingly while Kunimi looked away.

“…You act like only mutants murder people. People slaughter each other just as much as mutants kill each other. Besides, I may not be Kageyama’s biggest fan, but I doubt Iwaizumi would want us to hunt him down like an animal.”

Chocolate eyes narrowed dangerously, “so what about justice? He’s still out there. What if he hurts someone else?”

Kunimi said nothing after that as his gaze fell to his socked feet.

“So are you guys in agreement then?”

-

The walk to the police station was silent as Oikawa led and Kindaichi and Kunimi trailed behind, eyeing the coffee shops they passed along the way. Both of them were sure Oikawa hadn’t slept from the light wobble in his otherwise normal strut. However, any offer to buy him coffee went ignored. He even turned down the secretary in the police station when she offered him a cup.

“Ah, no thank you, ma’am. I’m fine, but I’m sure my friends could use some,” Oikawa spoke lightly with a soft smile that made the woman blush.

“O-okay sir. Um, what can I do for you today?” she asked before she handed Kunimi a cup of coffee as Kindaichi refused.

“Well, I would like to see the Superintendent-General please, if that would be alright.”

The woman nodded before she walked away, only to return shortly later with the disgruntled Semi.

“Officer Semi here has a meeting with the Superintendent-General in half an hour and he’s agreed to give that time to you three.”

The officer just pursed his lips as he glared at the three teenagers.

“He’ll take you back to his office when the time comes. Until then you all can wait out here.”

-

Oikawa spent that half-hour talking with the secretary, who he learned was named Misaki Hana. She had apparently moved down from the Miyagi prefecture recently in an attempt to break out of her shell and from her overprotective father. He wanted to ask her if she knew anything about the Aoba Johsai or Nekomata himself, but by that point Semi had come out and called to the three.

“Now please don’t say anything that could get me fired,” he sighed as he pointed to a redwood door with a white nameplate that read ‘Nekomata Yasufumi’ in bold black letters.

“Semi-san, you wound me and my friends!” to emphasize his point, Oikawa wrapped his arms around his other teammates and pulled them closer with a pout.

Semi wasn’t amused, “ugh, can you just call me Officer Semi? And stop it. I think you’re suffocating your friends.”

Looking down, the brunette was met by the sight of Kunimi clawing at his wrists while Kindaichi was turning a light blue.

“Oh God, I’m sorry!” he squeaked sheepishly before dropping the two with a loud thump. When they didn’t immediately rise, he tried to bend down to help them up, only to be knocked forward into them when Nekomata’s door suddenly opened, hitting him in the butt.

“Semi-kun, what is all that racket? Did- oh.” Nekomata sighed as he looked down at the mess of teenagers on the floor.

“I’m sorry, Nekomata-sama. These three were witnesses from the Iwaizumi case and I assumed they wanted to see you because of it,” Semi explained as he tried to usher the teens to stand.

Oikawa was the first on his feet, “I’m really sorry for making so much noise, sir!” he tried to apologize, but Nekomata just waved him off.

“It’s quite all right. I was young once too, now come in and Semi-kun, please alert me when Hanamaki-kun comes in, okay?”

“Yes sir.”

-

Much to the three’s surprise, Nekomata’s office was filled to the brim with volleyball memorabilia.

“Oh you went to Nekoma?” Kindaichi asked as he and Oikawa looked at a group photo from the school’s volleyball club.

“No, I just used to coached there. I used to go to a school known as Karasuno,” the man sighed fondly before he took a seat behind his desk, “I take it you three play volleyball?”

Oikawa nodded, “yeah. I’m Kitagawa Academy’s captain and setter. Kindaichi here is a middle blocker, and quiet Kunimi over there is a wing spiker!”

“Oh ho, then who plays the ace then?”

The brunette immediately quieted down under the older man’s intense cat-like stare.

“Iwaizumi… He was…”

Nekomata didn’t appear to hold any remorse for his question or Oikawa’s darkened mood even as he apologized.

“I’m sorry. I’m sure you already know we are using the information you’ve given us to find Kageyama Tobio.”

“That’s why we’ve come to speak with you today, sir!” Oikawa spoke firmly as he fisted Iwaizumi’s jersey, “I read that you have a connection to the Aoba Johsai. We want in!”

The old man raised a bushy eyebrow, “you never specified Kageyama was a mutant before. The Aoba Johsai deals only with mutants.”

“I’m sure of it! No human being could do what he did to Iwa-Chan! You have to believe me!” when his eyes began to prickle with tears, Nekomata handed him a tissue.

“Now, now-“

“O-Oikawa Tooru…,” he sniffled.

“Now Oikawa-kun, I’m not saying that I don’t believe you, but-“before he finished, he stopped as Semi poked his head in the doorway.

“Nekomata-sama, Hanamaki-san has arrived.”

The man nodded before waving Semi off, “well boys, if you’re so sure this is what you want, I’ll send you off with Hanamaki-kun. He’s my contact right now within the Aoba Johsai.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kindaichi's seiyuu voices Saitama from One-Punch man and I just couldn't help but make a reference. As always, have a great week everybody and see you next weekend!


	12. Chapter 12

Hanamaki Takahiro, as Nekomata introduced him, looked no older than Oikawa even though he claimed to be in his twenties when asked.

“I really don’t see why I have to bring them back with me,” he yawned into his scarf as Nekomata led them all out of the building.

“Just think of it as a favor, Hanamaki-kun.”

The pink haired man scowled, but he gestured to the teens to follow him anyway.

Once outside, Oikawa wasted no time in questioning the older man,” so you work for the Aoba Johsai?”

“Oh no, I work for the pet store across from them,” he sarcastically spat, “yes I work for them. I can’t understand why you three would want to work for them though. Did a mutant steal your lunch money?”

The brunette puffed his cheeks in annoyance while Kindaichi cracked his knuckles. Kunimi was spacing out, not caring for Hanamaki’s comments.

“No, a mutant killed our best friend Iwaizumi!” Oikawa seethed.

“I see. So is it a quest for revenge or for the fulfillment of protecting innocent lives from other innocents?”

Oikawa wanted to deck the man right there but he kept his cool.

“I guess you could say it’s a little bit of both, Makki-Chan,” he smiled, causing the older man to scrunch his nose in annoyance.

-

The rest of the walk was silent as Hanamaki kept ahead, looking around every time they reached a street corner. Oikawa had to wonder if he even knew where he was going, but soon enough they arrived at a massive innocuous office building with a large fountain with a tall, leaf- like structure in the middle that water erupted from, bringing with it a small rainbow in the cold afternoon sun.

“This is where the Aoba Johsai works?” Oikawa asked. He had expected something more akin mental hospital.

“Nah, the real fun is underground,” Hanamaki snorted sarcastically, “the office is just a front, really. Well it does have this machine that makes the best hot chocolate.”

To prove his point, he pointed it out once they were inside by the elevator.

“Now I want to tell you three that this is your last chance to turn around because, well… the Aoba Johsai doesn’t play around. If you screw up once, your life is pretty much forfeit.”

While Kindaichi and Kunimi seemed to ponder backing out, Oikawa remained firm.

“That is fine by me. Kindaichi, Kunimi, I won’t ask you two to stay with me,” he said honestly, not expecting the two to stay at his side.

“We’ve come this far. We won’t leave you, right Kunimi?”

Kunimi just shrugged. He wasn’t comfortable with the idea, but he’d be damned if he let the two get themselves killed. He didn’t want Iwaizumi haunting him from beyond the grave. Just the thought made him shiver.

“Okay then. Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Hanamaki sighed plainly as he stepped aside to allow the three into the elevator.

-

The ride down was rather uneventful except for Hanamaki’s mention that they were around 200 meters underground.

When the door finally opened, the three teens were greeted by the sight of a vast underground prison with cells filled with a colorful ensemble of people.

“They’re all the mutants the Aoba Johsai has rounded up over the years,” Hanamaki huffed before he started walking down one of the aisles, keeping his distance from the bars and or glass. The others however didn’t as their curiosity had gotten the better of them.

Some of the cells had one or two mutants in them while others had whole groups. Most of them ignored the three as they passed by except for a white and black haired man with a pair of elegant wings of the same color.

“Hey, Hey, Hey! Could one of you do me a solid and scratch my wing? I got this real bad itch in a spot I can’t reach!” he nearly begged as he pressed his back to his cell bars, occasionally trying to point to the offending spot.

It ended up being Kunimi who helped the man out as Oikawa and Kindaichi had become distracted by the display in the next two cells.

Within one of the cells stood two men, one slouching over with snowy, almost ashen hair and the other a blonde with black streaks running through it with a feral look in his eyes. The two circled around each other while a woman in the other cell was screaming at them in a language none of the two could identify right off the bat. They could only assume she was telling them to cut it out.

“Okay, I know it’s a mess in here. But don’t stop and stare. It only makes things worse,” Hanamaki hissed as he had to backtrack to fetch the three, “my stupid boss wants you guys to rest, not irritate these guys any further.”

“You mean Ukai?” Oikawa supplied. He still wanted to meet him.

Hanamaki tilted his head.

“What? Oh yeah, he’s out on business right now,” he supplied quickly, not missing a beat as he shoved the three into a room at the end of the aisle. While there wasn’t much to the room’s design, it had a couple of beds and a small TV and bookshelf for entertainment, a mini fridge, and a door for a bathroom in the back.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I have things I need to complete for my boss or he’ll string me up my underwear. I’ll be back later, but please promise me you’ll all stay put.”

When none of them objected, Hanamaki shut the door.

“I can’t help but feel like we’ve been locked in a prison cell ourselves…,” Kunimi mumbled as he got himself comfy on a surprisingly soft bed.

“Prison cells don’t have TVs or mini fridges and bathrooms with doors,” Kindaichi responded before he joined the other dark-haired boy on the bed, “what do you think, Oikawa?”

The brunette said nothing as he paced around the room, anxiously biting at his thumb.

“Hey, Oikawa!”

Oikawa bounced before turning to Kindaichi with a confused glare, “what? I was thinking.”

“How about you think about taking a nap? You look like a zombie! Or at least shower. I can smell you from all the way over here!” to prove his point, he pulled his shirt over his nose.

While he let off a pout of annoyance, Oikawa disappeared into the bathroom anyway, leaving Kindaichi and Kunimi alone.

“He’s falling apart at the seams,” Kunimi sighed as Kindaichi laid down right beside him, “I don’t think he knows what he wants anymore. I don’t even think he wants to hurt Kageyama or bring him to justice.”

“Then what do you think?” Kindaichi asked. When he rolled over to see Kunimi’s face, he found him staring sadly at the pillow.

-

The bath brought no relief to Oikawa’s tense body. Anytime Iwaizumi and Kageyama weren’t floating around his head, the sight of the Aoba Johsai prison did. The woman’s pleas echoed through his ears, as did the growling of the blond man each time he tried to take a chunk out of the white haired one. When he tried to push the thought far from his head, the image just changed to Kageyama staring up at him, an apologetic look on his face as he tried not to shake.

_“I didn’t want to hurt anybody…,” _the younger teen choked out, his navy eyes impossibly wide.__

 _ _Oikawa wanted to tell him he didn’t care, but then Iwaizumi joined him in the cell, _“I-Iwa-Chan?” _Iwaizumi however said nothing. He just stared back at him with a hardened stare that began to irritate him to no end.____

 _ _ _ _ _“How can you expect me to forgive him?! H-he killed you! I don’t care if it was an accident or not!” _______

 _ _ _ _ _ _“Oikawa? Who are you talking to in there?” Kindaichi’s voice startled him awake. He hadn’t even realized he had fallen asleep.______

 _ _ _ _ _ _

“Ah, nobody. Sorry, I-I was just mocking the bags under my eyes,” he knew Kindaichi didn’t believe him even though he didn’t press.

“Okay. I just wanted to let you know Hanamaki came by. He said he was gonna take us out for awhile.”

He walked away from the door, not waiting for Oikawa’s answer. The brunette didn’t rightfully care as he rose from the now cold bath to redress himself.

-

The one thing Oikawa noticed right off the bat as they were led back through the cells again was how quiet it had become. When they passed by the woman’s cell, she had her head in her hands, her long white hair a mess around her face, and in the two cells over, the blonde was all alone ripping at his pillow, while the winged man’s cell was just plain empty. 

None of the teens were brave enough to ask Hanamaki what had become of them.

“If you think I’m taking you all on a mission, you’re wrong,” in spite of his words, Hanamaki handed the three each a small pistol with a couple of odd looking bullets and a pin carved into the shape of a leaf with silver and turquoise accents. “I want to get coffee and I was told I had to bring you three with me. Apparently my boss doesn’t think I should leave you all alone in a room for too long,” Hanamaki yawned as he fiddled with the elevator before he allowed the others to board.

“We told you we weren’t going to leave,” Oikawa pouted as he stared down at the weapon before tucking it away into his coat Kunimi forced him to bring along what he now assumed to be the previous day. He really had next to no idea how long he was asleep in the bath.

“Yeah, I know. Your friend said you fell asleep in the bath.”

“Kindaichi!” the mentioned teen just shrugged as he put Kunimi between himself and the brunette for safety. “Why’re you freaking out? I wish I could fall asleep in the bath. I’ve been running on coffee this whole week.” 

Oikawa just puffed his cheeks in embarrassment.

-

The coffee shop Hanamaki led them to was called Seijoh, and while it wasn’t very big, it was quaint. The tall dark-haired man behind the counter gave them a small greeting as they entered. Oikawa almost had to do a double take when he saw the man’s back. He had looked like Iwaizumi until he turned around to offer a small smile that the brunette quickly noticed was mostly aimed at Hanamaki.

“Hi welcome back to Seijoh, Takahiro,” the man spoke, “do you want the usual?”

“Ah, um yeah,” Hanamaki stuttered, “just get these guys whatever they want.” 

“Should I put it on your tab again?” the man grinned as he leaned over the counter, revealing his nametag which read Matsukawa Issei. Hanamaki nodded as he sheepishly scratched at his head.

-

“And the tab grows even larger,” Hanamaki groaned as he stared at the spread of pastries and whipped cream-coated beverages Matsukawa had placed in front of the three teens before he handed the pink-haired man a simple cup of black coffee.

“Don’t worry about it. I put it on the house just this once and gave you some extra sugar.”

“Oh Matsu, you’re my angel,” he hummed happily into the cup in his hand, trying to ignore Oikawa’s small whispers and giggles to his friends as Matsukawa walked away. There was a small bounce in his step as if he knew Hanamaki would be watching, which he was.

“If you like him Makki-Chan, how come you don’t ask him out?” Oikawa honestly asked, “you clearly both like each other.”

The pink-haired man shrugged, “I have my reasons that I’m not gonna tell you. You don’t exactly look like the kind of person who can keep a secret for long to be honest.” 

Oikawa stuck his tongue out at him before he returned his attention to his fresh slice of milk bread while the other two nibbled on their tarts in peace until Hanamaki’s phone startled them when it began to vibrate. While he appeared disinterested as he stared at the phone, the three could see the irritation boiling in his eyes like a small fire before he tossed it aside as if it had offended him.

“Well, it looks your friend gave one of my best the slip, making my job a lot harder, which I don’t like. You see, my boss doesn’t like people who fail him. Do you three catch my drift?”

The three nodded as they could easily recall his chilling words from before.

“Good. Now he shouldn’t be too hard to find in Utsunomiya. Find him, kill him, and return. Nothing more, nothing less. A lot is riding on you three if you want to prove your loyalty to Aoba Johsai,” he stated firmly, his eyes still glaring daggers at his phone.

Oikawa tossed him a sloppy salute as he was near bouncing in anticipation, “we understand, Makki-Chan! Right guys?” He was still eager to meet Ukai, so failing wasn’t an option.

Kindaichi and Kunimi didn’t exactly share his enthusiasm, but Kindaichi at least tried while Kunimi just wanted to finish his food and coffee.

“Ugh, whatever. Just get it done. If you fail, it won’t be your asses getting broke, it’ll be mine.”

The three didn’t understand why he was the one at risk, but they didn’t push it as they made their way out of the café, receiving a small wave from Matsukawa as they went.

__

__

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be honest, when my friend first showed me Haikyuu!!, I kept getting Iwaizumi and Matsukawa mixed up...


	13. Chapter 13

Oikawa wasn’t the biggest fan of buses. They were usually filled with annoying people moaning about how they were late or were just gross. The only bus he could find for him and his friends was of no exception. Other than the fact that it wouldn’t take them directly to Utsunomiya, the bus was crowded with the aroma of sweat and cheap perfume. The only positive thing about the trip was the nice elderly couple he sat next to.

“My, are you three heading for Saitama too?” the old woman asked, a soft smile on her wrinkled face, “my husband and I were wanting to go yesterday, but a scuffle forced us off the bus and my husband-“

“Oh woman, please don’t start,” the old man groaned, head in his hands as his wife went on blabbering to Oikawa who listened intently. Kindaichi and Kunimi were too busy watching videos on their phones anyway.

“My husband,” she started again, “got us on the wrong bus and we ended up back in Tokyo! Can you believe it?”

“Oh, that’s horrible! But might I ask what caused the scuffle?” he had his own ideas, but he wanted to be sure.

“This sketchy man was harassing these poor boys. He even attacked them! Luckily they were able to get away, but I hope they’re okay. The police didn’t catch that man, so I hope he doesn’t come around again.”

Oikawa nodded thoughtfully at the woman’s words, not even noticing they had arrived in Saitama until the couple had stood.

“Thank you for listening to my rant, sweetie. You know, you’d be a perfect match for my grandson."

Oikawa didn’t say a thing. He just waved the couple off before he allowed Kindaichi and Kunimi to lead the way to the train station.

-

The train luckily was much cleaner and less crowded. Apparently not too many people felt comfortable with boarding the train to Utsunomiya that day, a clerk had explained as she allowed them onto the train. However, she didn’t elaborate as the train began to move.

It was almost instantly after that that Oikawa felt his pocket begin to buzz. He had nearly forgotten he even had his phone with him as he pulled it out to find a couple of messages from his parents telling him that they’d be out longer than expected, and one from a blocked number he didn’t recognize. “This better not be one of those chain texts…,” he moaned as he opened it to see a picture of an awkwardly pale man with a fanged smile that even he could tell was forced. A message quickly followed, reading: _‘this is Daishou Suguru, your target. He was apparently last seen hiding somewhere around the train station.’ ___

 _ _“Okay, how did Makki-Chan get my number?”__

 _ _

“We gave it to him while you were asleep in the bath,” Kindaichi answered quietly as Kunimi had fallen asleep on his shoulder, “anyway, this Daishou guy looks dangerous…”

“I’m sure he’ll be fine,” the brunette said with a shrug, not caring about the spiky haired teen’s deadpanned stare.

“Who’s honestly fine with giving up their life so easily?”

“You heard Hanamaki. Anyone who fails the Aoba Johsai forfeits their life,” his voice was smooth, betraying nothing as Kindaichi turned away with a sigh, allowing the rest of the ride to be silent.

-

“He looks like a guy I saw in the circus once when I was younger,” Kunimi hummed once they were off the train in the near desolate station as he hadn’t gotten to see Daishou’s picture earlier, “but I had heard he died.”

“Well if this is him, he wouldn’t be around much longer,” Oikawa stated firmly, “now come on. He has to be around here somewhere.”

Kunimi frowned as he leaned closer to Kindaichi.

“Trust me, I don’t want to go through with this as much you don’t,” the spiky haired teen sighed once Oikawa had wandered off to talk to the few people around the station, “but we’ve dug our hole and now we have to see it through for his sake.”

-

Many of the people Oikawa talked to claimed that they had seen Daishou when shown his picture. They claimed he was working with an oversized snake to attack two teenage boys. When he asked about the other teens however, none of them had a definitive answer. Some claimed they were eaten while others said they got away, but the consensus was unsure as they had fled the scene the moment the snake had appeared. The only person he talked to who seemed to know anything was a teenage boy with short dark hair and wide cat eyes who he had to bribe with a bag of squid jerky to say anything, and even then he said nothing. He just pointed outside the station towards a dark alleyway before waving him away to dig into his food.

“Well, there goes any money I had,” Oikawa whined as he returned to Kindaichi and Kunimi’s side, “but I suppose I did get a lead, so that’s good.”

“Was the lead on Kageyama or Daishou?” Kunimi questioned skeptically.

The brunette shrugged, “to be honest I’m not sure. It could be either at this point. Cat Boy over there pointed out that alley across the street when I asked him.”

To prove his point, he showed the two the younger teen who had busied himself looking at the moth that had begun to fly over his head.

“And you trust him?” Kindaichi snorted, “he doesn’t look exactly right in the head. What if it’s a trap?”

“Now who’d try to set up a trap for us, Kindaichi-Chan? No one out here knows who we are,” Oikawa huffed, hands on his hips as he began to walk out of the station.

“I swear he’d jump right into a van labeled ‘free candy’ if given the chance.”

“I heard that, Kunimi-Chan!”

-

With the street near empty, getting to the alley was the easy part. Trying to navigate through the plethora of trash was another story.

“Oikawa, there’s nothing but garbage and rats,” Kindaichi mumbled whilst trying to step around an aggravated pair of territorial rats as Kunimi clung to him.

Oikawa however paid him no mind. He could hear a soft crying further down growing louder the closer he came until it finally stopped, only to be followed by a frantic dragging sound. Deciding to ditch his teammates, he charged forward through the garbage until he began to realize he was following a small trail of blood. At that point, he drew his weapon, ready to shoot, but what he saw made him drop it.

He had found his target but he couldn’t bring himself to do a thing. Daishou had himself slung over what he assumed to be the snake from the witness’ stories, trying to keep it warm while he himself was shaking as he tried to keep himself supported on one of his legs while the other was bent at an awkward angle with a small chunk of pearly bone sticking out of his thigh, a puddle of fresh blood pooling at the knee. He didn’t look at Oikawa; instead he kept his face hidden in the coat he was using to keep the snake warm.

“Heh. I know Ha-Hanamaki sent you to kill me,” he hissed, voice hoarse, “am I right?”

Oikawa said nothing as he pocketed his weapon.

“Well I’ll take your silence as a yes… How about we strike a deal?”

Ever so slowly, Daishou began to drag his unbroken bloodied hand to one of the coat’s pockets and produced a worn map covered in a bit of dried blood, “the guy… my target who did this to me, this belonged to him. I’ll give this to you if you leave me be. That gun you have, its bullets… well it’s not a death one would want.”

“I-I don’t think I could have hurt you even if I wanted to…,” he mumbled truthfully as he reached down for the map, his fingers grazing Daishou’s icy ones briefly. He didn’t expect Daishou to be in the condition he was in. He had expected a fight, but instead he just saw himself with Iwaizumi’s dead body in his arms.

“Th-thanks… I wanted to get Nohebi, my snake, back to her home, but I don’t think either of us will make it…”

When his voice began to get quieter, Oikawa pulled off his coat to drape it around the man’s shoulders. “So warm… Thank you. Nohebi thanks you too…,” for the first time, Daishou turned to face the brunette. The skin of his face appeared irritated, but it didn’t derail from the genuine smile that tugged at his lips as his body began to go limp. Oikawa didn’t move as he stared down at Daishou’s stilled body even as Kindaichi and Kunimi came to his side.

“Di-did you do it?” Kindaichi asked in spite of Kunimi’s tug at his shirt.

“No…”

Kindaichi backed away when the brunette turned to stare at him with a weird look, “Kageyama did. Just like Iwaizumi, he killed him…”

Without another word, Oikawa stalked out of the alleyway, eyes on the map in his hand. Ushijima Farm was the closest marker. Kageyama had to have gone there.

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will pick back up with Kageyama. As always, have a nice week everyone!


	14. Chapter 14

“Now how about we have a nice chat? It’s been awhile since we’ve seen each other,” Oikawa sang with each step he took closer to the unmoving Kageyama, “how have you been? You’ve gotten pretty far from home, haven’t you?”

The moment he got too close, Kageyama began to back away.

“I mean, I suppose I have, too. Have you heard of the Aoba Johsai? Kindaichi, Kunimi, and I joined them. We all agreed that you’re too dangerous to be walking around free.”

“I-I am not!” Kageyama hissed, only to recoil when Oikawa pulled away as if he were afraid.

“You aren’t? Well that’s just not true. Do you know a man by the name of Daishou Suguru?” now it was Kageyama’s turn to pull away, “you killed him too did you know that?”

The dark haired teen shook his head, “no, I didn’t! I couldn’t!”

“No, I suppose not. However, you did give him a slow, painful death. I guess making it quick was just too boring, eh?” Oikawa sneered harshly, eyes glazed with malice.

“Oikawa, look at him. Don’t you think you’ve made your point?” Kunimi questioned tiredly. He didn’t find any joy in watching the torment the brunette was putting Kageyama through.

“No I have not made my point, Kunimi! He- ouch!” Oikawa groaned as he was knocked onto his ass. He didn’t see what had pushed him but he could easily tell someone was trying to drag Kageyama away.

“Hey Tobio-Chan, we’re not done here!” as quickly as he could, he snagged the teen’s ankle, bringing him and the other person down. While Kageyama stayed down, the other boy rose. He bore a resemblance to Kageyama that made the brunette’s blood boil.

“Oww, okay I don’t know who you are, but-,“ the boy barked until he focused his eyes on Oikawa, more specifically the pin on his shirt. What happened next the brunette hadn’t expected. The boy let off a scream that sounded as if he were being murdered.

“A-Aoba Johsai!” he bellowed, “I don’t want to go back there! You can’t make me! You can’t!”

Oikawa could see that his hands were beginning to glow red as the grass below began to burn away.

Oikawa expected Kageyama to get up and do something, but he was only beginning to rise when a large olive- haired man emerged from the house, his speed near inhuman as he placed himself in-between them.

-

“I want you to go away.”

Kageyama knew what was going to happen. He could remember the glass of the windows shaking when he spoke. Even now he could feel the ground quake under him just by Ushijima’s near whisper.

“No!”

With all the strength and concentration he could muster, Kageyama was able to lift Oikawa, Kindaichi, and Kunimi into the air just in time to avoid the main blast of Ushijima’s sonic screech. Unfortunately for him, to Oikawa, it didn’t matter that he had rescued him or not; he still drew his weapon and aimed it at Kageyama.

“This is all your fault, Tobio!” he shouted shooting even as Kunimi tried to stop him.

But it wasn’t Kageyama who fell. At the last possible second, Ushijima got in the way, taking the bullet. As he fell, so did Oikawa and the others as Kageyama’s concentration snapped.

“Wa-Wakatoshi!” Goshiki wailed.

Oikawa forgotten, he was by his side in an instant trying to stop the blood that oozed from his chest. However, he only succeeded in covering himself and the once green grass with Ushijima’s blood.

“What on Earth is going on out here?!” Kageyama could hear Shirabu’s shout from the porch. He swore he said more but he couldn’t hear him over a loud whirring sound that began to fill the area. Looking skyward, he was met by the sight of a group of helicopters, each bearing the mark of the Aoba Johsai on their side. But the incoming helicopters weren’t Kageyama’s concern. From the heap where they landed, he could see Oikawa shaking as he stared at his dropped weapon. He didn’t even react when Kindaichi hit him upside the head in his attempt to get him to move.

“Kageyama, what happened? You need to tell me what happened now!” he could hear Shirabu’s voice in his ear as he saw Tendou trying to peel Goshiki off of Ushijima so he could take a look at the damage. He couldn’t bring himself to answer. Nothing would come out even if he tried.

By the time the helicopters landed, Shirabu had given up trying to get him to speak and went to Ushijima’s side. The bleeding had only become worse as the olive-haired man began to violently convulse. The helicopters were far from their mind even as an elderly man emerged with a rather beat up pink-haired man.

“Nekomata-sama, Ma-Makki-Chan, what are you doing here?” Oikawa choked out once Kindaichi and Kunimi got him onto his feet.

“I could ask you the same thing. Hanamaki gave you your orders. I expect you to follow them next time,” Nekomata growled venomously, which made Hanamaki flinch, “now get in the helicopter before I decide to cut you down now.” “Doesn’t Ukai get to decide that? Isn’t he the leader of the Aoba Johsai?”

A loud smack reverberated through the air as Oikawa was knocked to the ground by the older man.

“Boy, do not cross me. Do as you’re told,” he left no room for argument as he snapped his fingers, which caused two more men to emerge from his helicopter, one being a hunched over white-haired boy with nearly glowing green eyes and the other, while shorter, made up for the height difference with a massive set of black and white flecked wings. The pair grabbed hold of Oikawa, Kindaichi, and Kunimi as if they weighed next to nothing and threw them into the helicopter before flanking Nekomata’s sides. With Oikawa out of the way, Nekomata turned his attention on the others, more specifically Kageyama and Goshiki.

“As Aoba Johsai’s leader, I have an obligation to recollect my escaped assets. Wouldn’t you agree, my Crow and Swan?”

Crow, it was a simple word yet it caused a fire to start in Kageyama’s head and he could easily tell Goshiki was in the same boat as he began to cover his face while Tendou tried to no avail to calm him down. Shirabu could do nothing as his hands were tied with Ushijima, who was even trying to reach out to him.

“Don’t you want to come home?”

The home he talked about flashed through Kageyama’s mind. Sterile white walls, freezing floors, and darkness with an occasional blur of orange. It was nothing that he wanted and yet he couldn’t stop his feet until he felt something tug at the back of his pullover.

“K-Kageyama…”

It was Kenma. He hadn’t noticed that he had come outside as well.

“Pl-please don’t go… I couldn’t handle it if they took you too,” his voice was breaking.

Kageyama didn’t want to hurt Kenma. He allowed himself to cling to this desire until he was able to focus on only Kenma, not his ‘home’. Unfortunately, Goshiki wasn’t able to break away. Neither Tendou nor Shirabu were able to stop him from reaching Nekomata, and even when one of them got close enough, one of Nekomata’s companions slapped them away. Kageyama could almost swear he saw Ushijima tearing up at the sight. He was surprised he was still conscious.

“Wow, you guys like, really suck!” the winged man laughed as he kicked Tendou across the field with ease, “hey Lev, how’s yours fairing?”

Now standing at his full height, the white haired boy held Shirabu a good few feet off the ground by his neck, claws digging in enough to draw small rivulets of blood.

“He’s not even a mutant, Bokuto-san! This is too easy! Wait what about the Cr-,“ Lev’s sentence went unfinished as he was struck down by what appeared to be a concentrated ball of electricity.

“Ha! Now that’s what I call ‘Rolling Thunder!’” a loud voice shouted as a muscular man with short dark hair jumped out of seemingly nowhere, catching Shirabu easily before he hit the ground.

“Yes, and Noya, you could have handled that a lot more gracefully,” the man sighed with annoyance as he rested the now unconscious Shirabu in the grass before turning towards Nekomata, “Noya, take care of Lev and Bokuto. Tanaka, see what’s up with Kenma and his friend. That old bastard’s mine!”

The man disappeared again, startling both Kageyama and Nekomata alike as he turned up miraculously at the old man and Hanamaki’s side.

“I told you that spy wasn’t worth it!” Hanamaki seethed as the man tried to aim a punch at Nekomata, only to end up catching the pink- haired man in the chest which knocked him backwards into the helicopter.

“Tch! Swan, do your job!” while tears still poured down his face, Goshiki’s hands began to glow red hot as he formed what appeared to be a hot ball of magma which he tried to chuck at the other dark-haired man until Nekomata suddenly pulled him into the helicopter.

“Never mind. Sawamura, this isn’t over! Owl, Lion, we’re retreating for now! At least we’ve retrieved some of what we came for.”

Out in the distance, Kageyama could see lightning striking down in rapid succession as Bokuto glided easily through the air with Lev in his arms, avoiding each blast that came his way.

“Hey, hey, hey, work on your aim for the next time we play!” he laughed as he joined the helicopters as they began to take off.

“Oh I’ll show you aim! Tanaka, throw me!”

In a flash of lightning, the dark-haired teen caught sight of what appeared to be a child with spiky black hair with a small tuft of blonde in the front, flying through the air towards the group of helicopters. Electricity formed around him until he was nothing but a faint outline in the flickering light until he chucked it at one the helicopters, blowing it up mid-flight. While his form was graceful, his fall was not as he landed in a heap at Sawamura’s feet. The helicopter crashing in the distance was far from the boy’s mind as he quickly jumped to his feet as if nothing had happened. It wasn’t long after that that another man with a buzz cut arrived and lifted him into the air with a shout of joy.

“Woo-hoo, Noya! You got one those bastards!”

“Too bad I didn’t fry that Owl! He was really pissing me off!”

“Yeah he-“

“Okay, shut it up!” Sawamura shouted angrily to the point which his body shook.

The two almost froze instantly. It would have been comical to Kageyama if what had just happened didn’t.

“I brought you both out here because I thought you were the best for the job, not to pick a fight unless absolutely necessary. I mean Tanaka, did you even do as I asked you? Or did you just tag along with Nishinoya?”

The bald man rubbed at the back of his head sheepishly, “sorry Daichi…”

The muscular man pinched the bridge of his nose, “just… just get Ushijima inside. He’s a mess. I’ll take care of everything else.”

The two nodded vigorously before they ran off to Ushijima, commenting on who could lift more while Sawamura made his way over to Kageyama and Kenma.

Kenma still hadn’t let go of Kageyama and he only buried his face further into his arm when the other man got too close, confusing him but not enough to the point where he didn’t offer a gentle smile.

“Hi there you two, how’re you both doing?” he asked softly as he crouched down, “Tetsurou called me when you guys didn’t. He wanted me to come find you both. He was really worried and I guess he was right to be. I’m Sawamura Daichi, the leader of Karasuno by the way. I know you’re Kenma, but could you tell me your name?”

Kageyama stared at him blankly before he ended up tumbling forward into the man’s strong arms unconscious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to rewrite this chapter two times and I'm still not too happy with it TAT


	15. Chapter 15

Kageyama wasn’t sure if he was asleep or not. Everything was dark and his limbs refused to move, but he could feel and hear everything around him from the soft knit of Daichi’s sweater to the uncharacteristically fevered shouts of Ushijima.

“I-it’s his fault, Tsu-Tsutomu! I need-“

He could hear the windows shatter as he tried to crack open his eyes. Ushijima was on his feet leaning against a wall holding a blood soaked cloth to his chest. He was staring at him with a molten fury that put Oikawa’s to shame. When he tried to move away from the wall, Shirabu moved in front of him to stop him.

“Sawamura, make your monkeys useful and have them get Kageyama and Kenma out of here!” Shirabu seethed, his voice hoarse.

“Ah yes, sorry. Noya, Tanaka, help Kenma get Kageyama upstairs,” within moments after saying that, Daichi was at Shirabu’s side while Kageyama’s vision was filled by the wide brown eyes of Nishinoya.

“You heard the boss man! Up we- ooh you’re heavy!” he snickered out just as the raven’s eyes slammed shut once again.

-

The next time Kageyama awoke, he swore he could see Tendou’s back at the foot of the seemingly king-sized bed he was placed in.

“Tsutomu’s gone and Ushijima’s a wreck. Shirabu’s trying to remain strong as usual… I wonder where that leaves me… I guess I kinda wish you hadn’t come here…,” he turned towards Kageyama, a black eye forming, “but a part of me knows that this would have happened even if you hadn’t shown up. Reon said they would…”

Kageyama desperately wanted to say something but he couldn’t form any words as his eyelids became heavy again.

“…None of this is your fault, Kid. Don’t take my ramblings personally, and Ushijima doesn’t hate you if that’s what you’re thinking. He wouldn’t have taken that bullet for you if he did,” while Tendou wasn’t so sure Kageyama had heard him, the teen had in fact heard every word as his eyes fell shut. He wasn’t unconscious, he just didn’t have the strength to keep his eyes open any longer.

“Sleep well, kid.”

He could feel Tendou stand from the bed to leave.

When the door shut, Kageyama’s mind began to race. No matter what Tendou said, he blamed himself for what had happened to Goshiki. The Aoba Johsai had come for him and Goshiki had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. He couldn’t also help but wonder what his connection to the Aoba Johsai was or even Goshiki’s for that matter. Nekomata had referred to them as the Crow and Swan, two innocuous words that brought him nothing but a string of blurry memories that meant nothing to him in his current mind, and when he tried to focus on them, his head hurt to the point where he gave up as something began to trickle down his face.

“Not again…,” he heard Kenma’s soft voice before he felt a cool cloth dab against his nose. Forcing his eyes open, Kageyama was greeted by the blonde’s tired face. His hair was damp from what Kageyama assumed to be from a bath, and from what he could tell, he was only wearing a purple and white jersey with a number 5 on it that rode up a bit with each movement he made. It took everything in the raven’s power not to blush as it seemed to irritate his nose and Kenma who was still trying to stop it from bleeding.

“Nnngh, th-thank you…,” Kageyama managed to choke out once Kenma pulled away, satisfied with his work, “thank you for everything.”

Kenma looked away, a blush staining his pale cheeks.

“It was nothing… You protected me. It was the least I could do, Kageyama,” he murmured as he tossed aside the bloodied towel to crawl under the blankets beside the raven, who tried to roll over to face him with a groan.

“So, what’d I miss while up here?” Kageyama asked, “I know Tendou was up here, but that’s all, really.” He didn’t want to remember Ushijima’s harsh stare.

“Sawamura took Ushijima back to Karasuno for treatment. He said he’d come back for us all in the morning. It’s not safe here.”

“What about Tendou and Shirabu?”

“They’re coming too…,” Kenma yawned, burying his face into his pillow when a coughing fit came on. Kageyama had almost forgotten he was sick.

“Um, how are you doing?”

One deadpanned gold eye looked up from the pillow before falling shut. He decided after that it was best to leave Kenma alone as he himself wanted to try to actually sleep. The purgatory behind his closed eyes had offered no rest. Unconsciously, he shifted closer to the blonde and attempted to sleep.

-

For the first time in ages, Kageyama didn’t dream. His mind stayed blissfully blank, which he reveled in until he felt someone prodding at his side.

“Hey come on, Sleeping Beauty! Daichi’s back and I wanna go home!”

Cracking open his eyes, he was met not by the sight of Kenma, but the wide-eyed, dark haired boy with a tuft of blonde in the front. He was laying on his stomach across the bed, his bald friend hanging out behind him scratching at himself. Kenma was nowhere to be seen.

“Where’s Kenma?”

Nishinoya puffed his cheeks out, “I see we’re not fun enough. Tanaka, he doesn’t think we’re awesome!”

The bald man just rolled his eyes as he pointed out the door, “he wanted food. Apparently you were sleeping like the dead.”

Kageyama just groaned as he tried to rise, only to nearly fall on his ass. If it wasn’t for Tanaka’s quick intervention, he would have been on the floor. He held the taller teen up as if he weighed next to nothing.

“Geez, you’re about as graceful as a newborn horse.”

“You mean newborn foal,” Shirabu corrected as he entered the room, toting a small duffle bag. His voice was still scratchy and he looked like he hadn’t showered or slept, but he still moved around as if nothing was wrong.

“Newborn horse sounds better…,” Tanaka muttered until Nishinoya bounded up to him, shaking his head, “hey, whose side are you on anyway, Noya?”

It was at that point Kageyama realized just how short Nishinoya actually was. He’d almost thought him to be a child if it wasn’t for his matured voice and the skill he showed the previous night.

“How about instead of arguing with each other, you get Kageyama downstairs?” Shirabu grounded out, the irritation evident in his voice and movement as he harshly shoved an innocent shirt into his duffle bag, “in case you didn’t realize it Tanaka, you’re the only thing keeping him standing right now. Argue after he has a plate of food in front of him.”

“Y-yes, Shirabu-san!” the bald man gulped as he lifted Kageyama over his shoulder with ease, surprising the teen as he looked down at Nishinoya who trailed behind with a wide smile.

“If this surprises you, then you should see Hinata! A good hour in the sun and he could bench press like five of Ushiwaka!”

Kageyama tilted his head in confusion until he realized he meant Ushijima, but the Hinata person remained a mystery until he remembered Kuroo mention the name once as he was tossed in a chair beside Kenma at the dining table.

The kitchen was unbearably cold as Ushijima had managed to break all of the windows on the first floor even in his ailed state. While Kageyama shivered, Kenma sat content, dressed in a black parka with a white cat- eared beanie covering most of his head as he nibbled at his rice and eggs. When a similar bowl was placed in front of Kageyama, he almost didn’t want to eat it as it would require removing his hands from his pockets. However that feeling soon went away as Daichi appeared out of nowhere toting a warmed quilt which he wrapped around the teen.

“Hey, isn’t that one of Suga’s blankets?” Noya piped up poking at the quilt until Kageyama wrapped it tighter around his body.

“Yeah. He gave it to me before I left to come get you guys. Apparently he had Yaku warm it and wanted me to give it to you two, but I think he deserves it more.”

Tanaka’s jaw dropped, “hey! You’re still mad about last night aren’t you?”

Daichi said nothing.

“See, you totally are!”

“When I ask you to look after someone I mean it, Tanaka and Noya, when I asked you to take care of Lev and Bokuto, I didn’t want you to try to kill them. They’re not evil, they’re being controlled!”

“You could have been more specific…,” Noya huffed, crossing his arms.

“I suppose I could have,” Daichi sighed as he took a seat before Kageyama. The wear in his eyes was seen easily by the teen.

“And Kenma, I’m sorry I couldn’t stop Tetsurou from being an idiot and getting himself captured.”

Kenma glared up at Daichi from his bowl but said nothing, which only made Daichi sigh even louder. The tension between the two was thick to the point where Noya and Tanaka slipped out of the room with the notion of watching TV, not even caring that the TV had been broken the previous night.

“Now Kenma-“

“At least Kuroo never sat idle. He tried to help out the mutants in the Aoba Johsai while you got complacent with your haven, letting him do all the hard work and if I couldn’t stop him, what makes you think you could? You left him, Bokuto, and Akaashi when they wouldn’t come with you to Karasuno,” the blonde spat, never once raising his voice.

“…Is that what he told you?”

Kenma didn’t elaborate as he left the kitchen, leaving Kageyama and Daichi all alone.

“I’m sorry you had to sit through that,” Daichi groaned as he pinched at the bridge of his nose.

“He really cares about Kuroo. I wouldn’t advise talking down about him,” Kageyama spoke firmly, “both him and I have been through a lot these past few days and-“

Daichi waved him off, “trust me. I know more than you might think.”

When he stood, Noya and Tanaka reentered.

“Well, Shirabu said he’s ready to go whenever, but we can’t find Tendou,” Noya explained.

“That’s fine. I took Tendou to Karasuno. He wanted to be with Ushijima. Now could you both get Kenma? I doubt he wants to see me.”

The duo looked at each other nervously before they began to play rock paper scissors. When Tanaka lost, he groaned and trudged up the stairs while Noya snickered until Daichi swatted him upside the head.

-

By the time Tanaka returned with Kenma, everyone had moved outside.

“Good. Now everyone, I want you to grab ahold of me,” Daichi explained as he finished throwing one of Shirabu’s duffle bags onto his back.

Kenma wasn’t too fond of the idea as when Daichi offered his hand, the blonde shied away which he continued to do until he was the only one without some sort of hold on the muscular man.

“…Okay Tanaka,” he sighed before the bald man pushed Kenma into him. It was only moments later that they all disappeared in a thick black smoke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you all next weekend! Hope you all have a nice week!


	16. Chapter 16

What was only seemingly seconds felt like an eternity in the black smoke to Kageyama. It wasn’t hard to breathe in or anything, but he couldn’t move from where he clutched at Daichi’s sweater, which he didn’t exactly like and he wasn’t alone in that opinion as he could see Kenma’s scrunched up face from the corner of his eye.

When the smoke faded away, both Kageyama and Kenma were near blinded by the sun while Shirabu ducked behind a shrub and threw up. Tanaka, Noya, and Daichi himself were the only ones unaffected.

“Sorry. I’m not used to carrying more than two people at a time.”

“Couldn’t you have just taken two trips?!” Shirabu snapped briefly before turning back to the bush.

“He was just lazy,” Noya snickered as he bounced away before the muscular man could retaliate.

“Ugh, maybe I should have taken two trips… we’re actually a bit away from Karasuno,” Daichi sighed, scratching at his head as he looked up the worn stone path they had arrived at before.

“Oh, you have got to be kidding me…,” the copper haired man groaned. He had finally expelled all of the contents of his stomach and just looking at the beaten path made his stomach churn again.

“Don’t worry, I’ll carry you!” Tanaka declared swiftly as he pulled Shirabu onto his back before the other man could offer any complaint, “I’ve travelled this path with much heavier! Hey Noya, let’s race! I bet you want to get back and see Asahi~”

Shirabu shook his head harshly, “n-no please-“

“Oh, you’re so on!”

Before Daichi or even Shirabu could offer an argument, the two were off with what sounded like war cries to the two teens.

“…And they’re gone…,” Daichi huffed, “well at least our walk will be quiet, eh?”

While Kageyama nodded, Kenma hid away behind the taller teen.

-

The trio’s walk was indeed silent except for the occasional crackle of a leaf or the chirp of a bird. It was peaceful until Noya came running back down the path at them, a panicked look on his face.

“Daichi, this is awful!” he squealed as he ran at the taller man, knocking him down as static poured off of him, causing Daichi’s hair to stand on end.

“W-what happened, Noya? Did Futakuchi take your last steam bun again?”

“No, damn it! Asahi wandered off! Suga doesn’t even know where he went to! Help me find him. Tanaka’s already looking and you know like ten pairs of eyes are better than four you know,” he stated as he bounced up and over to Kageyama and Kenma, “now I don’t think he could have gone too far. Oh you two don’t know Asahi, right? Well… he’s like tall, good looking, really good looking.”

“Noya, focus,” Daichi spoke once he was back on his own feet.

“Sorry, Boss Man… Okay, he’s got long brown hair and a bit of stubble on his chin, and if you find him, speak to him. Don’t go up to him or you’ll startle him. He’s easily startled. Just say you’re a friend of Nishinoya, got it? Good!” and with that, Noya ran off into the forest that surrounded the path.

Once Noya’s footsteps disappeared off into the distance, Daichi turned towards Kageyama and Kenma with an apologetic look as he tried to pat down his still-standing hair, “I’m sorry about this, but could you two look around while I get these bags to Karasuno?”

Kenma looked ready to argue but Kageyama nodded, bringing a small smile to Daichi’s face.

“Thank you. I’ll help out when I get back.”

-

“…I’m tired…,” Kenma sighed after an hour of searching. Daichi still hadn’t shown back up and they hadn’t run into Tanaka or even Noya.

“Do you think they already found him?”

Kageyama shrugged as he leaned against a tree.

“We should keep looking.”

Truthfully he wanted to quit, and other than that fact, he didn’t want to admit he was lost and was still exhausted from the strain of the previous day. He could see his legs shaking as they tried to support his body even as he braced himself against the tree. His head began to hurt again, but all that was pushed aside as he heard something moving in a nearby bush.

“Do you hear that?”

Kenma nodded as he cautiously moved closer to Kageyama so they could make an approach together. As quietly as they could, they moved closer to the bush to find a clearing beyond it where a tall brunette sat in the plush grass like a statue except for the occasional movement to wipe at his eyes. His hair covered most of his face so the two couldn’t exactly see where he was looking.

“That has to be Asahi,” Kageyama whispered. He was about to call out to him, but Kenma pulled nervously at his sleeve. Looking down at him, he could see that he was scared.

“Intimidating…,” the blonde murmured as Kageyama pried his fingers loose.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of it,” he assured before focusing his attention on where the brunette sat, only to find that he had moved to face them, startling Kenma who let out a small squeak, to which the brunette flinched and tried to move onto his feet. He only stopped when Kageyama called out to him.

“Hey wait, don’t go! We’re friends of Nishinoya! He sent us out to find you!”

He could see Asahi’s lip begin to tremble as he fell backwards onto his butt, his hair falling away from his face to reveal that he had bandages covering his eyes.

“Y-you’re a friend of Yuu?” he questioned, nervously fiddling with his fingers, “I don’t know your voice… Why should I trust you?”

Kageyama would be the first to admit he wasn’t the best with people. Up until the last week, he didn’t really associate with anyone but Iwaizumi every now and then and by this point, he was hitting his limit.

“Um…,” he began to grit his teeth when he couldn’t find a suitable answer.

The man didn’t know him, and he knew that if he were in Asahi’s position, he’d book it.

But he didn’t have to think about it any longer until he heard an unfamiliar voice call out to Asahi from the trees.

“Shouyou?”

Kenma suddenly perked up as a small boy with bright fluffy orange hair jumped down from a tree, landing beside Asahi with an even brighter smile, completely unaware of the mess of twigs and leaves stuck to his hair and clothing. He didn’t seem to notice the other two as he took one of Asahi’s big hands into one of his smaller, his fist barely even fitting around one finger.

“Asahi-san, I’m glad I found you! When Daichi said-,“ he stopped himself when the brunette pointed over to Kageyama and Kenma, “what’s wrong?”

When he looked over, his face looked impossibly brighter as he looked at Kenma before he tackled him down to the ground with a giggle, “Kenma! It’s been so long! Like two years? I don’t know, but-“

“Shouyou, I can’t br-breathe!”

The moment Kenma began to turn blue, Kageyama immediately pulled the exuberant boy off of him by the collar of his dirtied shirt.

“Hey, hey! Careful! This is my last good sh-,“ the orange-haired boy stopped himself once he looked up at Kageyama’s irritated face with his shiny brown eyes, “T-Tobio? Tobio, is that really you?”

Shouyou was dropped almost immediately as Kageyama began to back away in confusion. But that just brought him closer until he pinned him by a tree (he wasn’t exactly pinned, the boy was a good couple of inches shorter, he knew he could get away easily if he wanted to).

“How do you know me? I have no idea who you are,” Shouyou looked absolutely destroyed by Kageyama’s true words as he pulled away.

“Y-you really don’t remember me?” he questioned pitifully.

Before Kageyama could say a thing, Daichi’s voice stopped him.

“Oh, thank God you found him, Hinata,” Daichi sighed with relief as he emerged from a shrub onto the scene, “and you found Kageyama and Kenma as well. Good. Come on, let’s all get home before it gets too dark.”

Staying blind to the situation, he helped Asahi up and began to lead him back through the forest. Hinata nodded as he gave Kageyama one last sad glance before he fell into place beside Kenma, who had just gotten back onto his feet.


	17. Chapter 17

It wasn’t even ten minutes later that Kageyama found himself staring at a group of buildings that looked like at one point they could have been used for a school. However it was hard to tell as many of the buildings were covered in plants or starting to just crumble away. It didn’t look like much of a haven, but Daichi seemed proud as he stared at it.

“This is our home: Karasuno. I suppose it will be your guys’ too for as long as you’re here,” he hummed with a wide welcoming smile on his face directed at Kageyama and Kenma until Noya and Tanaka came running out from the building shouting Asahi’s name.

The brunette seemed to immediately light up as he stepped away from Daichi to open his arms for the short man to jump into.

“Asahi! Don’t scare me like that! I wasn’t gone that long and you promised me you wouldn’t wander off without someone. It’s dangerous out there!” Noya pouted as he buried his head into the brunette’s hair.

“A-ah I’m sorry… I just wanted to buy you some steam buns. I-I knew if I bought you ice cream, it would just melt before you got back.”

Noya didn’t say a thing even as his face turned as red as a tomato. Tanaka on the other hand was trying to stifle his laughter when Noya slipped out of Asahi’s hold and onto the dirt at his feet.

“Y-you, Azumane Asahi, are a god among men.”

Kageyama himself had to hide his own laughter at Noya’s overly poetic words; that was until he caught sight of Daichi’s quizzical expression directed at Asahi’s back. However when he spoke, he said nothing about the brunette, instead he turned to Tanaka.

“Tanaka, is Suga still with Ushijima?”

The bald man nodded, “yeah he’s helping out Ennoshita. Heh, I was about to go and see if I could go help out.”

“Ah, then allow me to tag along. Hinata, do you mind showing Kenma and Kageyama around?” he asked turning towards the oddly quiet orange-haired boy.

Hinata shook his head as he sent a glare Kageyama’s way, “I’ll show Kenma around, but I want nothing to do with him.”

Daichi looked appalled, “Hinata, what has-“

“Well I want nothing to do with you either, dumb ass!” Kageyama spat beside himself. He didn’t understand how Hinata could claim to know him one minute and then be angry the next. It wasn’t his fault he couldn’t remember the other boy.

“Likewise, you-you Bakayama!”

“Enough!” Daichi growled, separating the two when they got too close, “Tanaka, go find Yaku and have him show Kenma around. And as for you two, I want no bad blood. You two are gonna work through your differences, and if you can’t, I’m kicking you both out, Kuroo’s wishes be damned!”

When Daichi finished, the two stared at him, too stunned to move. They barely even noticed Kenma being led away or Noya leading Asahi away who was shaking considerably.

“So are you two in agreement?” he had a smile on his face that basically said, “agree or else.”

The two nodded in unison.

“Good. Then go on. And Hinata, please don’t bother Tsukishima until sundown. I can’t stress that enough.”

Hinata muttered something under his breath that Kageyama couldn’t quite hear but Daichi did, as he saw the older man’s eye twitch before he walked away, his body rigid.

-

Kageyama and Hinata tried to keep at least a five-foot distance between them at all times as they wandered around Karasuno.

“Karasuno used to be a high school with a really powerful volleyball team,” Hinata spoke when the silence became too unnerving, “I don’t know why the school was shut down, but I remember seeing one of the school’s matches on video once. They were so cool, especially the Little Giant. He was all like swoosh and whoosh!”

To emphasize his point he waved his arms around, nearly hitting Kageyama in the face.

“I remember when we were younger we-,“ he stopped himself almost immediately, his eyes downcast, “never mind…”

Kageyama knew it pained Hinata that he couldn’t remember him, but he didn’t know what to say. He wasn’t going to fake memories he couldn’t remember.

“Umm, so volleyball… you like to play then?”

The smile immediately returned to Hinata’s face, “yeah, more than anything! D-do you want to play with me? The gym is still in good condition!”

-

As Hinata said, the gym had held up well. The walls didn’t look ready to cave in as some of the other buildings did. The only thing that looked like it needed fixing was the ratty net and a couple of gnarly floor boards. But other than that, the equipment Hinata showed him looked brand new, even the ball he tried to serve him.

“Shimizu-san and her wife sometimes stop by and give us things,” he explained.

“You mean as in Shimizu Kiyoko, the actress?” Kageyama questioned as a gorgeous dark-haired woman with glasses and a gentle face came to mind. He could remember seeing one of her movies with Iwaizumi back in middle school and how she stole the show. Her part was minor, but her soft honeyed voice made it a part to remember.

Hinata nodded, “her wife used to live here with us… Hey, are you okay?”

Kageyama had begun to clutch at his head as another headache rolled in with his thought of Iwaizumi.

“H-hey, Tobio?”

When Hinata got closer, the gym around him began to flicker, shifting from the orange-haired teen’s concerned face in the gym to glowing white walls and Hinata, only younger with blood spattered on him and a thousand mile stare that made Kageyama screech and push at the boy until he ended up falling on his ass, slipping on the dropped volleyball he’d been holding.

“Gah, Tobio! Ah-ah okay, you stay there. I’ll be right back, okay? I know who can help!”

Kageyama said nothing. He was too busy trying to cover his face. He didn’t want to see anything as he prayed that his headache would just knock him out.

-

Kageyama wasn’t sure how much time had passed before he heard Hinata speaking a mile a minute to someone he didn’t know. He could only tell that the man was trying to calm him down before he leaned before Kageyama, taking his head into his hands. He had pried the teen’s fingers away so he was forced to look at him. The man looked to be in his early twenties and yet his hair was a soft grey. His hazel eyes were filled with nothing but concern as he rubbed his thumbs soothingly on Kageyama’s face.

“Your mind is so clouded that it’s causing you pain. Please allow me to share your burden.”

Kageyama didn’t know what to say, and before he could even think about it, he found himself back in that sterile white room beside the grey-haired man, staring down at a younger version of himself.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter little Kageyama will just be called Tobio to clear up any confusion.

Kageyama could barely process what he was seeing. It wasn’t everyday you found yourself staring down at your younger self. He couldn’t have been any older than eight as he looked around the room with a prominent pout, paying no mind to either Kageyama or the grey- haired man.

“What is this? Why am I here? And who are you?!”

He couldn’t remember any of this from anything but his dreams from the past week. At eight, he remembered learning how to play volleyball and his parents’ annoyance when he couldn’t grasp the basic concept of English.

“I’ve taken you into your mind. Your memories were locked away, trying to remerge and I don’t think your mutant ability was helping any either. If you could tell, it was already taking a toll on your health,” the man spoke thoughtfully, holding out his hand for Kageyama to take, “I’m Sugawara Koushi, and I will be with you every step of the way.”

It took awhile before Kageyama took his hand, but when he did, Sugawara gave him a soft smile. It was almost mother-like. He could never remember his own mother smiling at him so tenderly.

“Are you ready to begin?”

When Kageyama nodded, the grey- haired man waved his hand and the memory seemed to start as the younger Kageyama was startled by the door to the room opening until he saw a mop of curly orange hair pop up.

“Hee hee, Tobio I found you!” the younger Hinata squealed with delight as he bounded through the door at Tobio with two other boys trailing after him. The tallest boy had short blonde hair with a cracked pair of glasses balancing precariously on his nose. He had an annoyed look on his face as the other boy with dark green hair and a plethora of freckles held onto the fraying knit of his cardigan.

“Hinata, we weren’t even playing hide and seek you dumb ass,” Tobio spat as he shoved the boy off before he turned away with a blush.

“Yeah Hinata, you wouldn’t want to make the King mad, or is it Crow nowadays?” the blonde boy snarked, seemingly satisfied when Kageyama began to growl.

“Tsukki, maybe you shouldn’t” the freckled boy squeaked, especially when the other dark- haired boy began to move around the two dangerously even as Hinata tried to tug at the back of his shirt to no avail.

“Come on Tsukishima, stop it! Nekomata-sensei looks like he was rough with him today! Remember, Ukai-sensei wanted us to get him for lunch. Hey Tobio, I know you’re hungry! I can hear your tummy rumbling!” to prove his point, Hinata jumped in front of the taller boy, impeding his movement as he placed his ear against his stomach, “heh, your tummy sounds mad. Doesn’t it, Yamaguchi?”

The dark green-haired boy nodded furiously while Tsukishima rolled his eyes as he left the room with an annoyed sigh. Yamaguchi was quick to follow him, leaving Tobio and Hinata alone.

With Tsukishima gone, Tobio visibly relaxed while Hinata still looked like he was walking on eggshells. “Umm, Tobio, what happened today? I mean, Nekomata-sensei training is usually rough, but you’ve never responded to Tsukishima’s assiness like that before…”

While Tobio held his arms, refusing to speak, Kageyama could understand what he wasn’t saying even as the pair exited the room.

“How do you feel, Kageyama?” Sugawara asked while rubbing circles into the dark- haired teen’s hand.

“I-I don’t know… Everything is so vague, but I had a dream that I think was the precursor to this event,” he mumbled, unsure if he was even explaining himself properly.

“That is possible and more than likely the case. Now would you like to keep going?”

He knew it would probably only get worse from that point onwards, but he agreed anyway and the scene changed to a sparingly decorated grey cafeteria. The main attraction however was the array of people of all shapes and sizes and oddities sitting at the tables.

At one of the tables, Tobio sat at Hinata’s side with what appeared to be two near identical white- haired girls sitting before them. The only real difference between the two was the different partings of their hair.

“Hinata, can’t you help me convince Alisa to let me cut my hair?” the younger looking white- haired girl whined, “it’s too long and people keep thinking I’m a girl…”

“Now, now Lyovochka, there is nothing wrong with that. Don’t you like looking like your big sister?” The other girl spoke, her voice thickly accented, “and besides, if you cut your hair, I wouldn’t get to make you any more bows. You wouldn’t take away your sister’s only joy?”

When he shook his head, Hinata laughed, nearly spitting milk on Tobio, “don’t worry Lev, you look fine, right Tobio?”

The dark-haired boy said nothing as he had his eyes focused on something else. He was staring at the far back of the cafeteria where a group of three boys stood talking.

Kageyama immediately recognized one of them as Iwaizumi, while the other two were a mystery. He couldn’t hear what they were saying and he was sure his younger counterpart didn’t either. They could only see that Iwaizumi was rubbing awkwardly at his neck while the pink- haired boy with him patted him on the back as the other dark- haired boy tried offering him a steam bun, which Iwaizumi refused as he turned towards Tobio.

With Iwaizumi’s eyes on him, Tobio tried to shrink under the table while Lev and his sister looked at him with confusion and Hinata waved the older boy over.

“Come on, Tobio. You know Iwaizumi doesn’t hate you. You don’t have to hide every time he sees you!”

Tobio however didn’t share his idea as he shrank further under the table until Iwaizumi scooped him out from under the table as if he weighed next to nothing.

“How’re you feeling, Kageyama?” he simply asked once Tobio managed to calm himself.

“I-I’m fine, Iwaizumi, bu-but you- I-“

Iwaizumi shook his head as he rubbed at the younger’s hair, “trust me I’m fine, but…,” his eyes shifted around the cafeteria nervously until he suddenly pulled Tobio onto his feet and towards his friends in the back, not even allowing him to say goodbye to Hinata.

“Now Kageyama, you remember Takahiro and Issei right?” Iwaizumi questioned as Tobio looked up at the two teenagers, trying not to show fear at their more aloof stares.

“I think?”

Issei snorted past the steam bun in his mouth before swallowing, “I bet you wouldn’t. The last time we saw you, Old Ukai was making us change your diapers.”

“And you had some gnarly-“

“Okay Takahiro, we get it,” Iwaizumi groaned when he could see the white-hot embarrassment forming on Tobio’s face, “Kageyama, you agree that what Nekomata does is bad, right?”

The boy nodded, “he made me hurt you for no reason…,” he responded as tears began to form in his eyes.

“Well I’ve been talking with some of the older kids, and we’re gonna talk to Ukai-sensei about it. I mean, he has to listen to us if so many of us are complaining, right?”

Takahiro and Issei didn’t look so sure, but his words had Tobio in agreement.

“Now Kageyama, I’ve told you this because I want to you to keep away from Nekomata until I talk to Ukai, all right?”

Tobio nodded vigorously as Iwaizumi smiled down at him before sending him on his way back to his table. However when Tobio got back, Hinata and the white- haired siblings were gone, replaced with a growling dark-haired boy that reminded him of a dog. Needless to say, he didn’t stick around long after that.

Kageyama watched his younger self run out of the cafeteria with nervous eyes.

“Why do I have a bad feeling about this?”

“Because it might be the reason why your memories were blocked to you,” Sugawara stated smoothly as his eyes shut in thought, only to snap open shortly later with a pained look in his chestnut gaze, “…I’ve seen what happens next and I’m not sure you should see it anymore…”

But Kageyama shook his head, “no, I want to see this through to the end.”

“Very well…,” with a wave of his hand, the memory continued.

The pair found themselves standing behind Tobio as he stared up at Nekomata’s cat-like face.

“Hello, little Crow. I have a task for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it fall yet? I want to see season 3 and my Shiratorizawa babies already! TAT


	19. Chapter 19

“Hello, little Crow. I have a task for you,” Nekomata’s voice was as smooth as they came as he looked down upon the young Tobio. It was almost hypnotic, Kageyama thought as he himself found it hard to resist.

When he tried to move forward, Sugawara caught his arm.

“It’s only a memory,” he stated as they watched Tobio follow wordlessly after the man.

“I couldn’t stop myself then and I can’t even now… I-I need to know what happens next!” Kageyama demanded, his eyes focused on his younger self’s fading back. But before Sugawara could continue the memory, he felt himself being torn away from the grey- haired man.

Sugawara looked as confused as he did as the grayed hallway crumbled away back into the Karasuno gym.

Kageyama could see that Sugawara had been pushed aside as a towering blond teen stood before him. He stared down at him with harsh honey bespectacled eyes, lips pursed together firmly as Hinata pulled relentlessly at the hem of his overcoat.

“Y-you, you’re-“

“You either remember or you don’t. I don’t care either way, but you don’t belong here, Crow. You’re nothing but trouble.”

“Tsukishima stop it!” Hinata hissed when he saw Kageyama’s once confused stare go blank,“S-Suga, help!”

Sugawara held his head. His brows knit together in pain as he tried to look up at the blonde. “Tsukishima… That isn’t your decision. It’s Daichi’s.”

Tsukishima’s eyes narrowed dangerously as he scoffed, turning away from Kageyama. Without a fight, he walked toward the gym’s exit, pulling Hinata with him as he went, “whatever. I suppose if Daichi wants a monster among us, he’s got his wish. I bet the Aoba Johsai will be knocking on our doors any day now.”

“Tsukishima, just-,“ Hinata tried again, only to have the blonde’s ire directed upon him.

“And I can’t believe you’d stick up for him after all he’s done. Do you even re-“

Sugawara stopped him right there as he got onto his feet and smacked him upside his head, “quit it! It’s all in the past. We’ve all come here for new beginnings, not to be bitter about the past.”

When Tsukishima scoffed again, Sugawara raised his hand threateningly until the blonde left, Hinata tailing after him, apologizing begrudgingly on his behalf.

With the two gone, Sugawara collapsed against the door frame with a tired sigh, “Kageyama, I hope you don’t mind if we continue this tomorrow. I always forget how tiring it is to look into someone’s head.” When he looked over at the dark haired teen, he found him still staring blankly at where Tsukishima once stood. He didn’t move, even as Sugawara wobbled over to crouch before him.

“Kageyama-“

“He called me a monster…” He didn’t exactly disagree with Tsukishima but he knew there was more to it. “It has to do with that part of my memory! I need to know what I did!”

His sudden exclamation surprised Sugawara, causing him to fall on his butt.

“P-please, I need to know… You saw what happened. Tell me.”

But Sugawara shook his head sadly, “Kageyama… You need to see it for yourself, not hear it second hand. I promise you, you will learn in the morning. I just need some time to rest and you do too.”

The moment he brought up the prospect of rest, Kageyama began to yawn, bringing a small smile to Sugawara’s face as he helped him onto his feet.

“See? Your body wants sleep, and I can tell you haven’t had a good sleep in a long while.”

Kageyama shook his head.

-

The two leaned on each other for support as Sugawara led them into Karasuno’s main building. Inside, it was easy to tell that the building had once been a school. Many of the rooms still contained desks and chalk boards, some even looked like the class was just out for the day while others were void of school materials and instead filled with beds and other living essentials.

As they passed by one of the rooms, Kageyama couldn’t help but notice Noya and Asahi. Noya was standing behind the sitting brunette, brushing at his hair with a broken comb. He was humming an unfamiliar tune as he preformed the task. It almost surprised the teen at how calm he was in comparison to the energetic mess of static he saw over the last twenty- four hours.

Sugawara ended up leading him to the medical wing of the building. Upon entry, Kageyama saw Ushijima’s sleeping form. Shirabu and Tendou however were nowhere to be seen.

“Where’s-“

“Oh, I kind of kicked them out,” an unfamiliar voice spoke up from behind a curtain until he poked his head out to reveal a pale face with short dark hair and eyes that looked somewhat sleepy until he saw Kageyama’s worried expression, “no, no I-I mean… Well one of them was telling me I was doing my job wrong and then the other… well he creeped me out to be honest. Oh and then Tanaka came in and-“

Ennoshita nodded and pointed to the back of the room before he ducked back behind the curtain. Kageyama didn’t even want to know what was behind that curtain as Sugawara hurried him along.

“Now will you be okay for the night? Umm, Daichi said you came with a friend. I can go find him if you like.”

But Kageyama shook his head once he had made himself comfortable on the soft bed.

“All right then, I’ll be back first thing in the morning. If your head hurts at all or anything, just call Ennoshita, he’ll know what to do,” before he left, Sugawara ruffled his hair, putting Kageyama at ease as his eyes began to flutter shut.

-

Kageyama hoped that his mind would finish what Sugawara had started, but that specific memory was still locked off to him. Any time he tried think about it, his mind would only draw static until he fell into a dreamless sleep that felt as if it lasted for ages until he ended up rolling off of his bed and onto the floor with a thump.

“Oww...,” he groaned as he looked around the small medical room. The sun was barely beginning to peak over the horizon and into the room. In the small light, he could see that Ennoshita had moved into a bed of his own. He wasn’t sure, but he could have sworn he saw a lump in the bed with him but he wasn’t so sure in the low light. Closer to the exit, Ushijima still slept, only every now and then he would shift seemingly uncomfortably. Too shocked to go back to sleep, Kageyama decided to locate Sugawara and maybe a snack.

Not to Kageyama’s surprise, the hallway was void of activity as many of Karasuno’s inhabitants were still sleeping away, their snores echoing off the walls. He was almost tempted to poke his head into the rooms to see if he could find Kenma, but that thought quickly ended when he heard a cough beside him. Looking to his side, he was met by a short man with annoyed red cat-like eyes and short light brown hair.

“Who are you?” the man asked with an irritable yawn.

“I’m Kageyama Tobio. I came here yesterday with my friend Kozume Kenma,” he responded honestly.

The man however didn’t seem to believe him as he folded his arms and scrunched up his nose, but he didn’t say if he did or didn’t as he turned away, “your friend is two doors down.”

“Um, thanks…,” he mumbled more to himself than anyone as the man had disappeared back into his own room without another word.

Kageyama had every intention of following the man’s directions, but once he neared Kenma’s room, he could hear Daichi and Sugawara’s hushed voices from around the corner. Hiding just on the other side, he tried to listen to what they were saying.

“When I was fighting Nekomata, I heard Hanamaki say they had a spy down here,” Daichi spoke.

“And you believe him? Many of the mutants that came here escaped from Nekomata. Why would they rat out their own kind to the man that tortured them?”

“I-I don’t know, but you know as well as I do Hanamaki isn’t with him because he’s willing. I think he was trying to warn us.”

“Daichi, I still don’t believe –“

“And Suga, the other thing is yesterday when Asahi told us where he went, I’m sure he was lying.”

Kageyama could hear the sound of skin against skin as Daichi let out a grunt of pain.

“Suga, would you let me finish? I’m not implying Asahi’s the spy, but that he could know who they are. I don’t know why he’d hide it, but you know as well as I do that he wouldn’t leave the area unless he thought Noya was in danger.”

“Now you’re-“

“No I’m not, Suga. Just try talking with Asahi later for me, would you? The man can’t see and yet he’s doing a spectacular job of avoiding me.”

When he could hear Sugawara’s small snicker drift closer, Kageyama booked it back to the medical wing, unaware of the red eyes that followed his movement.

-

By the time Sugawara had arrived, Kageyama was already back in his bed sipping at a small carton of milk Ennoshita had given him once he had awoke and shooed Tanaka away.

“Hey Kageyama. Did you sleep well?” he asked with a smile as he pulled up a chair to the bed.

Kageyama nodded, “I didn’t dream at all though. I was hoping-“

“We all have dreamless nights,” Sugawara quickly assured before tossing Kageyama’s now empty milk carton away, “now would you like to start again?”

Deciding not to question the man, he leaned forward, allowing Sugawara access to his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm finally on spring break so I may update again sometime during the week if I'm free. Have a good week everyone and see you then!


	20. Chapter 20

The memory picked up just about where it had left off. The only difference was that Nekomata was trying to get Tobio to enter a room with a slowly corroding door that the boy refused to enter. The sight made Kageyama’s palms sweat until Sugawara squeezed his hand in reassurance.

“Stop fussing and get in there,” Nekomata hissed, grabbing at the child’s hair as he dragged him kicking and screaming in.

The sight confused Kageyama. Earlier he was complacent enough to follow when Nekomata called him Crow. But he didn’t have to wonder for long as he peered into the door to see a younger Goshiki sitting in the middle of the room. The boy wasn’t paying attention to anything but the small paper he held a melting crayon to.

“The poor swan is bored. I want you to entertain him,” the old man ordered as he snapped his fingers. It was quickly after that that Yamaguchi emerged from a door in the far back, a noticeable wobble to his step.

“I’ve been meaning to see which of you is the stronger telekinetic, anyway. Go on, Crow.”

When Kageyama felt Sugawara’s hand squeeze his hand harder, he knew where this was headed and it was only clarified as he watched his younger self raise his arms, ready for a fight.

Yamaguchi, however, wasn’t as he backed away until he slipped over Goshiki’s paper. Goshiki himself didn’t have much of a reaction, unlike Yamaguchi who let out a squeak at the hot wax against his bare foot.

With Yamaguchi distracted, Tobio wasted no time in lifting the other boy into the air and slamming him into the ceiling, causing Yamaguchi to let out a pained whine. It wasn’t until Tobio dropped him that he tried to retaliate. Yamaguchi’s attack wasn’t as offensive as Tobio’s as he took a mental angle.

_“T-Tobio, if you can hear me, th-then you know that Nekomata-sensei wants us to kill each other, ri-right?” _Yamaguchi’s voice echoed through Tobio’s head.__

Kageyama hoped his younger self listened, but he knew he didn’t as he watched Tobio clutch at his head whilst he could see the other child clutching desperately at his own neck to the point where he drew his own blood.

“That’s right. Come on, do i-“

“Yasufumi, what is the meaning of this?!” the enraged voice of a man bellowed as he stormed into the room.

The man wasn’t the tallest, and even though he was thin and graying, he held a commanding presence.

“Iwaizumi told me that-,“ the man hadn’t looked around the room, but when he did, he was left near speechless at the sight, “th-this was not what I had in mind when I asked for your help, Yasufumi. I want you out of here, now!”

He didn’t pay Nekomata anymore mind. Instead, he ran to Kageyama’s side, “okay, Tobio. I need you to let Tadashi go. You’re in control. No one else is.”

Nekomata let out a guffaw of laughter at the man’s words, “are you really that stupid? Crow, kill them both. I know you can.”

Kageyama could feel Sugawara’s arms wrap around him in an attempt at comfort but he felt none as he watched wordlessly as the all too familiar sound of breaking bones filled the air. However, he didn’t expect the loud scream that followed after. The scream didn’t come from Goshiki. The boy just stared blankly at the mess before him. Instead, looking to his side, he could see Hinata rushing in with Tsukishima on his tail. The blonde’s expression was unreadable as he collapsed at Yamaguchi’s side while Hinata went to the old man’s before checking on Tobio who remained standing like a statue.

“T-Tobio, what happened?” Hinata asked, his eyes wide and far as he looked up into Tobio’s eyes. A small bit of the old man’s blood had gotten on his face from when he was at his side. It contrasted heavily with his pallid face.

“I heard- Tobio, why aren’t they moving?”

“Isn’t it obvious? He killed them.” Tsukishima growled as he stood to pull Hinata away from the still unmoving boy to place himself between them. From what Kageyama could tell, he looked ready to punch him out, but he didn’t know as he watched his younger self tumble over unconscious, ceasing the memory right there.

Kageyama pulled away from Sugawara with a grunt of pain as he held at his head. Now that the memory was complete, he tried to put everything together. It was easy now to see why Tsukishima hated him, he hated himself, but he couldn’t understand why Hinata wanted anything to do with him. If the roles were reversed, he knew he would have been as callous as the blonde. Another thing he couldn’t figure out was what happened after.

“So Kageyama, how do you feel?” Sugawara asked softly, pulling the teen from his thoughts.

“I don’t know… My head feels clearer but…,” he wanted to ask if Sugawara had seen anything else, but the man answered his thought before he could even vocalize it.

“That memory was the only one I could see into. The rest were locked up tighter, but I can assure you that your head shouldn’t bother you anymore.”

Kageyama wasn’t so sure of that. He knew there was more to know and that Hinata held the answer. He had to.

“Well, I have something else I need to take care of. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to talk to Ennoshita, and if you want ice cream, just look behind the curtain over there. He’ll say there’s none, but he’s lying,” Sugawara hummed with a small smile before he took off with Ennoshita’s glare on his back.

The raven- haired teen wasted no time. He needed to find Hinata, Tsukishima be damned.

“Um, Ennoshita?”

“I swear Suga was lying. I have no ice cream. Tanaka actually pigged on the rest of my supply,” the man groaned as he busied himself at Ushijima’s side, doing what, he couldn’t tell.

“No, no, I just wanted to ask if you knew where Hinata would be at…”

Ennoshita scratched at his head with his free hand, “hmm, well that kid gets around, but knowing him, if he’s not around Tsukishima, he’d be on the roof at this time of day, why?”

But Kageyama said nothing as he ran out of the room, nearly running over someone in the process. He didn’t offer an apology but instead an unintentional glare at the short man who he vaguely recognized from earlier as he continued onward deeper into Karasuno.

It wasn’t that hard to find the stairway to the roof. The building had a layout quite similar to his school back in Tokyo. The only real difference was that he nearly fell up the stairs a couple of times due to the cracks in the worn concrete steps. When he finally came to the door, he found it cracked open, bleeding bright sunlight into the otherwise dark stairwell. Other than that, he could hear talking on the other side. Peering through the crack, he was able to see Kenma resting against someone just out of his view. Pursing his lips, Kageyama pushed the door open a little bit more only to be nearly blinded by what he saw. Kenma was leaning against Hinata, only the orange-haired boy was glowing almost a heavenly light in the sun.

“Shouyou, do you think Kuroo will be okay?” Kenma murmured into the cotton of Hinata’s shirt as the other teen wrapped a shining arm around his shoulders.

Kageyama backed away from the door. He had completely forgotten about Kuroo and even Kenma himself in his attempt to piece together his past.

“Kuroo’s a strong guy Kenma, you know that. He wouldn’t let the Aoba Johsai kick his butt! I bet you he’s already busted out with everyone just like how he helped me and Tsukishima! You just have to believe,” Hinata assured with an even brighter smile.

“I-I’m not sure, Shouyou…”

Kageyama had to agree with Kenma as he turned to leave, only to find the light brunette man from earlier standing before him, his red eyes like an inextinguishable fire.


	21. Chapter 21

Semi wasn’t exactly thrilled with his current assignment. He was to interrogate two of the mutants involved in the incident in downtown Tokyo, and from what he saw of them when they were brought in for their mug shots, they weren’t going to be the most cooperative. If the assignment hadn’t come directly from Nekomata himself, he probably would have gotten someone else to do it.

As he made his way to their temporary cell, he was almost immediately accosted by the taller of the two mutants who he thought was genuinely good looking past the bruises and messy dark hair that covered his face and eyes. The other one however moved to the back and laid down on the creaking bed each cell had.

“Hey officer~, if you uncuff me, we can have a little fun if you know what I mean,” the man purred as he leaned against the bars.

“Not on your life.”

He wasn’t stupid. He didn’t want to lose his job. Not to mention it was easy to see by the unsteady way the man stood, he wasn’t in any condition for a roll around in the sheets.

“Well you’re no fun… Semi,” he pouted once he caught sight of the officer’s name tag, “c’mon Akaashi, help me out over here.”

“I want no part,” the other mutant growled none too friendly.

“I agree with your friend back there. Now, Kuroo was it?” Semi sighed looking at his tablet with the pair’s information, “and Akaashi, yeah?”

Kuroo nodded, “you got us. And I bet you’re here to tell us you’re moving us to the Aoba Johsai, am I right?”

When he leaned even closer, Semi took a step back.

“That’s not in my assignment. I’m just here to question you on the events of today.”

The messy haired man looked surprised at his remark. Even Akaashi rose from his position on the bed to look at the officer in confusion.

“What? Is there something wrong with that?”

Kuroo looked down, “you wouldn’t believe us.”

“Look, all I know is that there was some mutant territorial dispute. If you don’t say anything, then I’m just gonna write down that you both were a part of Johzenji and not willing to cooperate with me,” he sighed, patience thinning.

“Johzenji has been disbanded for years now,” Akaashi spoke up, “most of the group now is either dead or being held by the Aoba Johsai.”

“Well, I heard their leader fled to the Miyagi prefecture. I heard he had a daughter,” Kuroo added. He was about to say more until he noticed Semi’s eye twitching.

“I don’t care.”

That wasn’t true. Everyone at the station was told to be on the lookout for possible members, and if one was found it was their job to tell Nekomata.

“Just give me your story, already. Make it up for all I care.”

Kuroo shrugged, “okay then. Well, take a seat. I’ll tell you what happened.”

-

Akaashi ended up spending the night at Kuroo’s, though there wasn’t that much sleep. The pair spent most of the night digging up what they could on the Aoba Johsai, which wasn’t exactly a lot to begin with.

“They sure do a spectacular job of covering their tracks,” Kuroo groaned as he closed his laptop in frustration. He’d just finished reading another article that praised the Aoba Johsai for bringing a group of rouge mutants to ‘justice.’ The whole thing was just a bunch of hogwash in truth as the supposed rogue mutants were trying to flee to Karasuno.

Akaashi hummed his agreement. He was having about the same luck as Kuroo until he came across an article labeled ‘Fall of Johzenji.’

“Hey Tetsurou, come here a second…”

“Find something good?”

“I hope,” moving aside, he let Kuroo under the kotatsu beside him and pointed out the article.

_‘Today it is safe to say that the streets of Tokyo are much safer as the Aoba Johsai have brought the mutants of Johzenji to justice. For years those of Johzenji terrorized the public, making a mess of our beautiful city. Superintendent-General Nekomata Yasufumi has told us while he will try Johzenji’s leader, Terushima Yuuji, the rest of the group will be taken into the Aoba Johsai. We reached out to Ukai Ikkei for his statement on the matter, but he has denied an interview.' ___

 _ _Kuroo scratched at his head, “so what do you think happened to Terushima?”__

 _ _

He looked to Akaashi who was already tapping furiously away at his laptop until a page came up with a picture of a girl with a bob of brown hair with uneven bangs and brown eyes. She was smiling happily with an older man with swept back blonde hair and a bit coming down onto his forehead. He looked like he was trying to avoid the camera from the nervous look in his brown eyes.

“He was let go and looks like he ran to the Miyagi prefecture from the picture’s location.”

“So do you think we should go to Miyagi?” Kuroo questioned hopefully. He wanted to see Kenma again, not used to not looking after the aloof blonde for so long. It didn’t help that he still hadn’t heard from either him or Kageyama.

Unfortunately for him, however, Akaashi shook his head, “if the Aoba Johsai wants us out of the way, I don’t think we should go leading them to Kenma or anyone else in Karasuno. Besides, according to this, Misaki Hana, the girl in the photo, works here in Tokyo. Maybe she knows something.”

Deflated, Kuroo nodded and instead went to pick up his phone. There were no new messages or missed calls, just the taunting photo of Kenma, Bokuto, and him.

“If it bothers you so much, change the picture,” Akaashi sighed as he closed his laptop in favor of reheating his cooling tea.

“I don’t have anything to change it to. Most of the pictures I have are either of Kenma or inappropriate. Well I do suppose there are a couple of Bokuto. But it’s not even that. I’m just worried. Kenma should have called…”

“You trust Kenma to remember to call? He’s probably too busy playing his games.”

“No, even if he was, Kageyama would have called.”

Akaashi raised an eyebrow as he sipped at his now warmed tea.

Kuroo twirled his thumbs, “I guess I forgot to mention I found this mutant boy a few days ago… He was trying to kill himself and I stopped him and brought him home. I ended up sending him off with Kenma. If it was too dangerous for Kenma to be here, then it would for him too.”

“And you wonder why the Aoba Johsai wants you dead. I bet that boy had a connection to the Aoba Johsai like the rest of those mutants you saved from them,” he stated, not expecting Kuroo to argue with him.

“He didn’t even know what the Aoba Johsai was. I doubt he was involved.”

Akaashi just rolled his eyes as he moved to lie down, “whatever, Tetsurou. Just try and get some sleep. We need to track down Misaki tomorrow.”

-

It wasn’t until mid morning when Kuroo awoke to find Akaashi gone.

“’Kaashi?” he yawned as he rolled over to feel a cool, ashy breeze kiss his face.

The door to the veranda was slid open with Akaashi standing on the other side, leaning against the balcony, a cigarette dangling precariously from his fingers as he stared out over the horizon. He looked peaceful.

Deciding not to bother him, Kuroo sat up and moved to the bathroom, taking his phone with him. Kenma still hadn’t called and any attempt he made at calling him went straight to voice mail. Flustered, he called someone else entirely.

The person picked up on the third ring with a groggy greeting, “Tetsurou… I had a long night. What do you want now?”

“Hey Daichi, did Suga keep you up? I’ve heard he can be pretty-“

“No Tetsurou…,” Daichi yawned, “I had to talk to Tsukishima and you know he’s pretty much nocturnal.”

“Trust me, I remember. But anyways, did Kenma and Kageyama come by yet? Neither of them have called and I’m worried.”

Kuroo found himself pacing the bathroom as he waited for Daichi’s response.

“No… I would have remembered,” he answered until he heard Kuroo’s pained sigh, “you know they could still be at Ushijima’s. The signal is pretty bad out there. But if it makes you feel better, I can go see.”

Kuroo smiled, “thanks, Daichi.”

When he ended the call, he heard a knock on the bathroom door.

“Tetsurou, hurry up. I managed to get ahold of Misaki and she wants to meet with us at a café downtown.”

Poking his head out, Kuroo was greeted by Akaashi’s deadpanned stare, “I’m pretty sure you know that this could be, and is more than likely a trap, right?”

“I’m more than sure it is, but it’s all we have right now to go on. We can’t exactly go charging into Aoba Johsai without knowing what we’re going up against.”

Kuroo sighed. He was right in the end.

“Okay let’s go for it. What do we have to lose?”

-

After a short ride on the bus, Akaashi led the way to a small café tucked into a corner of downtown Tokyo called Café Seijoh.

“The place sure could use a good paint job,” Kuroo snorted as he pulled the door open for his companion, who just rolled his eyes.

“Hi, welcome to Café Seijoh,” a dark haired man greeted the two from behind the counter, a lazy smile on his face, “can I get you two anything, or are you both just here for the ambiance?”

“No, we’re just here meeting someone,” Akaashi spoke before making his way over to a window seat. The place was empty aside from them and the man behind the counter and silent except for the traffic outside.

After an hour passed with no Misaki or any customers, the barista came over with a small tray of sugar cookies and coffee, “business is slow today and you guys looked pretty hungry. It’s on the house, so don’t worry.”

While Akaashi looked skeptical, Kuroo thanked the man, Matsukawa from what he could read of his nametag as he returned behind the counter.

As he nibbled on a cookie, Kuroo could see the other man’s disapproval, “look, I’m not gonna turn down free food.”

But Akaashi shook his head, “no that’s not what I meant.”

He fidgeted uncomfortably, his eyes shifting from the café to the outside, “Tetsurou, we’re being watched.”

To anyone else, it looked as if Kuroo had ignored his words as he munched happily on the cookies until there was only one left on the plate, which he pushed in Akaashi’s direction. But the other mutant knew better as he could see Kuroo scanning the outdoors through his peripherals.

Kuroo could see a man across the street with a blond buzz-cut with a bit of brown running horizontally through it. He was standing by the bus stop but even when the bus came around, he didn’t get on. He remained standing there with most of his harsh face buried in the wool scarf around his neck, his eyes glaring daggers at the café. To people passing by he looked like any other person with a sour disposition waiting for a particular bus, but Kuroo could easily see the Aoba Johsai pin sitting mockingly on the man’s black jacket.

“I think it’s safe to say Misaki’s not gonna show,” Kuroo whispered through a small sip of coffee, “but it looks like the Aoba Johsai didn’t want us to get lonely.”

Akaashi nodded as he pocketed a knife from the table, “well then, we best not keep him waiting.”

As the two stood to leave, Matsukawa leaned over the counter, “I guess your friend was a no show?”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Kuroo hummed, his eyes still on the man across the street, “but we have another friend waiting for us outside.”

Matsukawa opened his mouth to say something else but he shut it when smoke began to come out of the kitchen, “o-oh shit, I must have left the oven on again! Have a good day!” and with that he dashed into the back, leaving the two to let themselves out.

“This is gonna get messy. It’s best he’s not out front,” Kuroo explained once outside as his eyes scanned the street. The blonde man still stood by the bus stop but his eyes were no longer on Kuroo and Akaashi. He was watching something else.

“I won’t argue with th- mmph!”

Kuroo only took his eyes off of Akaashi and the man for a brief moment, but when he turned back towards the two, Akaashi was gone and the blonde man stood in his place. He was shorter up close but that didn’t make him any less scary as he growled through his scarf, his angry gold eyes staring into Kuroo’s own.

“Where’s Akaashi?” Kuroo spat as he took a step back, only to find himself bumping into someone else.

“Bokuto-san said he wanted to talk to Akaashi-san, so he said me and Kyoutani could play with you!” Lev sang whilst pushing the shorter man back towards Kyoutani, his claws digging slightly into his back, “besides, I want to get you back for sending me into the sewer! Do you know how long I had to bathe to get that stink out of my hair?”

Kuroo didn’t care what the white- haired man had to say. He had to find Akaashi. He didn’t trust Bokuto as far as he could throw him after his previous display.

“Hey you two, don’t you think we could pick up this game some other time? I kind of have some business I need to take care of.”

Kyoutani wasn’t thrilled with Kuroo’s lack of desire for a fight from the snarl he let off as he threw a punch Kuroo’s way, which he easily dodged, causing the blonde man’s fist to connect with a street lamp, denting it severely to the point where it caved in and collapsed into the street, blocking it off. The worst part of it was, he was barely even acknowledged what he had done. He just pulled back and tried to hit Kuroo again and again until he finally caught him in the face, sending him spiraling through the window of Café Seijoh.

While the world around him swirled for a few minutes, Kuroo was otherwise fine as he rose from the shattered glass with nothing more than an aching face and a few cuts here and there, “heh, maybe Kageyama was right. Maybe I’m not all bad luck,” he chuckled quietly to himself.

If he made it out of this mess, he was definitely going to mention it to him. Taking a step forward, he scanned the outside but he couldn’t see either Lev or Kyoutani, he could however see Matsukawa crouched behind the counter, a frying pan in hand. But he wasn’t looking out the broken window, he was staring back into the kitchen.

“Hey, I wouldn’t stick around here. I think things are all only gonna get worse from here on out.”

Matsukawa barely acknowledged him other than to tighten his grip on the frying pan.

“There’s something big on the roof,” he mumbled, eyes flicking briefly to Kuroo, “something bigger than a pigeon. Help me get rid of it and I’ll forget you broke my window with your body.”

If the situation wasn’t so horrible, Kuroo would have laughed, “yeah, and I have a feeling I know what’s up there.”

__


	22. Chapter 22

One moment Akaashi was beside Kuroo and the next, he found himself being pulled into the sky. A gloved hand covered his mouth while the other held him firmly by the waist. It took a bit of effort, but he was able to crane his neck upwards to see Bokuto’s owl eyes staring down at him as he flew. He couldn’t see much else of his face as it was covered by a robin’s egg-blue scarf.

“Akaashi, I didn’t want you getting involved in this mess…,” he pouted, irritating the dark-haired man to the point where he bit his gloved hand, causing him to let out a surprised cry as he dropped Akaashi to hold his injured hand.

Luckily for Akaashi, Bokuto hadn’t flown too far from the café as he was able to land on the roof, albeit not as gracefully as he would have liked as he twisted his ankle upon landing.

“Oww, Akaashi, why’d you bite me? You burned my glove and my skin!” Bokuto whined. He landed a few feet away to cradle his pained hand, his wings fluffing out around him to the point where he couldn’t see what Akaashi was doing.

Knowing he couldn’t move all that well, Akaashi pulled out the butter knife he had snagged from the café earlier and began to melt it between his fingers in an attempt to make it sharper. He didn’t want to hurt Bokuto, but he would if he didn’t have a choice. “Why aren’t you saying anything, ‘Kaashi?” when Bokuto finally turned his attention back to Akaashi, his eyes widened considerably at the knife he held up at him.

“…Don’t come any closer,” he didn’t want to say it, and he was sure Bokuto wouldn’t listen to him anyway. He never did. But surprisingly he kept his distance. He didn’t look at Akaashi; instead he kept his head down like a scolded child.

“I-I just wanted to protect you…”

“No, you don’t have the right to say that!” Akaashi was just as shocked at his own words as Bokuto was, but he kept going, “were you protecting me when you hit me? O-or allowing your lion friend to attack me? And what about Kuroo? You threatened Kenma! You know how much he loves him!”

By the time he finished, he could feel the burning tears streaking down his face.

Bokuto fingered at the scarf around his neck nervously until he pulled it down to reveal a small silver collar wrapped painfully around his neck, “I-I’m sorry… I didn’t want you getting involved. I made a deal with the Aoba Johsai. If I gave myself to them, they’d leave you alone. So I tried to make you hate me… I guess it worked…”

“K-Koutarou…,” while his ankle didn’t want to work with him, Akaashi managed to wobble over to Bokuto, “you were being manipulated… I don’t hate you, but you’re a complete idiot! I don’t need to be protected!”

Raising his hand, he placed it on the collar, but before he could even try to melt it off, Bokuto pushed him out of the way as a blur of white came charging at him out of seemingly nowhere. Although it stopped the brunt of the force, Akaashi still felt something slit his cheek open as he tumbled backwards onto his butt, a good distance from Bokuto.

“Bokuto-san, he was right there!” Lev whined, “why’d you push him out of the way?”

His eyes were on Akaashi as if he were ready to pounce until the blonde from across the street crawled onto the roof with a snarl, “well I’m sorry, Kyoutani. I thought you wanted to go after the other one!”

“Now I’m just known as ‘the other one’? I’m hurt!”

Turning his head, Akaashi saw Kuroo standing at the roof’s entrance with Matsukawa standing behind him, wielding a frying pan threateningly.

Kyoutani wasted no time in charging at Kuroo once again, but before he got too close, Matsukawa smacked him away with his frying pan, a loud bang sounding off as the metal connected with his body. While he didn’t seem all that affected, it gave Kuroo enough time to reach Akaashi.

“Akaashi, are you all right?” he questioned quickly.

Kuroo could see Kyoutani was already back on his feet with Matsukawa in his crosshairs and Lev was beginning to circle. Bokuto however didn’t budge.

“I’m fine, but-,“ before he could say anymore, he stopped himself when he heard Kyoutani let off a pained howl.

The two turned back to Matsukawa. Kyoutani was on his knees at the man’s feet as he stared at his hand warily.

“What did you do to him?!” Lev hissed, back arched until a man’s voice called out, telling him to stop, “H-Hanamaki-san?!”

“Takahiro?” Matsukawa questioned. His eyes were on the roof’s entrance where a pink-haired man emerged. He looked extremely frustrated as he stared at the scene before him.

“Mattsun… you shouldn’t be here…,” his voice held no animosity, just sadness as he walked up to the man and placed a hand on his face, causing Matsukawa to fall over almost instantly.

Kuroo let off a growl as Hanamaki turned his attention on him and Akaashi. He had no idea what he did to Matsukawa, but he wasn’t about to let him do it to him or Akaashi.

But Hanamaki didn’t even need to touch him as he stared at Kuroo, his beady eyes going briefly wide before Kuroo found himself sitting back in his mother’s car, Kenma beside him playing a game on his phone while their parents talked amiably about the dinner that they had no idea would be their last.

“No…,” he could feel his control slipping and it only worsened when Kenma looked up at him.

“Kuroo, you look like you’re gonna throw up…,” he mumbled, reaching down for one of the gift bags, emptying it of its contents before handing it to him. But he never took the bag.

The car swerved into oncoming traffic. He could hear their parents’ screams slow into nothingness as the car rammed into another group of cars and stopped. The blood on the shattered windshield made him nauseous. He couldn’t even look at his parents, he didn’t see them in the mangled front. He didn’t even look to his side; he couldn’t bear to see what had become of Kenma.

Kuroo screamed as the world came crashing back around him. He was on the concrete with Akaashi at his side coughing heavily. But he wasn’t what held his attention; Café Seijoh was destroyed, Bokuto and the others were nowhere to be seen.

“Ak-Akaashi… wha-what happened?”

But before he could get his answer, he felt someone kick him in his bad ribs until he was on his stomach with his hands behind his back. He could feel someone putting icy cuffs around his wrists while he could see a man doing the same to Akaashi.

“You two are under arrest for this destruction of downtown Tokyo.”

-

“Well Semi, what do you think?” Kuroo asked.

“You were right. I don’t believe you.”

All of what they had told him was hard to believe. He had talked with Misaki just before he came down to see them. She had offered him some coffee and asked if he wanted to catch a movie with her after work. She didn’t seem like the type of person to have any connection to Johzenji, disbanded or not. He was also having a terrible time believing that the Aoba Johsai was using mutants when they advocated for their confinement. But at the same time, he knew they weren’t lying. The looks of desperation on the pairs’ faces spoke miles.

“I don’t blame you,” Akaashi sighed, “it was stupid of us to think you would believe us. But could you at least tell us if the cafe owner, Matsukawa is alright?"

He opened his mouth to speak but he quickly shut it when he saw Kuroo’s eyes widen in raw fear. Looking behind him, he saw Nekomata approaching with an annoyed Hanamaki following after him.

“I hope these two didn’t give you any issues, Semi-kun,” Nekomata spoke.

“Ah, no sir, but-“

Nekomata didn’t let him finish as he waved him away, “then you’re dismissed. Misaki-kun said you two were going to a movie today, so I decided to let you both off early.”

Semi bit his lip as he looked from his boss to Hanamaki, Kuroo’s story echoing throughout his head.

“But sir, according to Kuroo-san’s story, Hanamaki-san was involved. We need to question him.”

Nekomata looked to Hanamaki who seemed to bristle at the accusation, “well I can say Hanamaki-kun has been at my side all day.”

Semi could hear Kuroo growling from behind him.

“Semi-kun, these two are mutants inbound for the Aoba Johsai. Do you honestly think they are worth believing?”

Begrudgingly, he shook his head.

“Good. Now go on. You’re dismissed.”

-

It wasn’t until Semi had disappeared down the hall that Nekomata began to speak to the jailed mutants. “Kuroo Tetsurou. So we finally meet face to face. I’m sure you don’t know me, but I know you.”

When he drew closer to the bars, Kuroo placed one of his hands on the metal with the desire to break it, but no matter how hard he tried, nothing happened except for a tension headache he gave himself from his effort.

“What’s wrong? Can’t do a thing? I designed those handcuffs myself so that better be the case. But don’t worry, once we get back to Aoba Johsai, you’ll have a collar like your friend Bokuto and everyone else.”


	23. Chapter 23

Misaki was a nice girl, but Semi found it difficult to focus on her as the night went on. All throughout the movie, Kuroo and Akaashi’s story was the only thing going through his mind. Even when the movie ended and they went to dinner, he could barely hold a conversation with her as he began to wonder if she did have a connection to Johzenji even if it was only through her father.

“Umm Semi, are you okay? You’ve been out of it since we got off work today,” Misaki asked as she put down her spoon. She had begun to tire of watching the man before her poke at his udon lazily with his spoon, “I-I mean you seemed fine before you went to interrogate those two men…”

“…The two just gave me a lot to think about. Hey um, I know it’s a weird thing to ask, but does the mutant group Johzenji mean anything to you?”

Misaki scratched at her head, “hmm, well not to me, but when I was younger, I think my father mentioned them once or twice. Why?”

“Ah, no reason,” he lied, “I just wanted to see if Nekomata-sama told you about them. When I entered the force, he spent a good hour warning me that they were a bunch of mutants that would like nothing more than to see the world burn and how other mutants felt the same way.”

The brunette frowned, “I don’t think that’s right. Not all mutants are bad. My brother’s one and he doesn’t want to see the world burn and I don’t think Johzenji did either.” He’d never heard her mention a brother before and from the look on her face, she didn’t mean to divulge that information.

“Hey, I didn’t say I agreed with him,” he sighed honestly, “I’m sorry I brought it up.”

“No, it’s fine. It just irritates me. I mean, you’ve heard of the Aoba Johsai, right? When I first moved here, I befriended this girl who was a mutant and she told me they were holding her little brother and that they were after her as well,” pushing her bowl to the side, she leaned closer, her eyes darting from side to side warily until Semi did the same, “a week later, she was gone and I haven’t seen her since and that was like two months ago,” when she pulled away, she apologized, “I’m sorry. She told me they have eyes and ears everywhere.”

Semi nodded, Kuroo and Akaashi’s story sounding even more like a fact by the minute.

“So can I ask you a question now, Semi?”

“I think it’s only fair.”

“Okay, so do you remember those three boys that came into the station earlier this week in connection to the Iwaizumi case?”

Semi shivered as he remembered Oikawa’s fake smile, “yeah, they’re kind of hard to forget.”

“Well two of the boys’ parents came to the station earlier today saying they were missing. I went to Nekomata-sama on the matter as he’d seen them last, but he wouldn’t tell them a thing or even acknowledge them. To make matters worse, he told me not to file a case.”

The officer pursed his lips. He knew the three teens had an inane interest in the Aoba Johsai, but they couldn’t bother at least lying to their parents about their whereabouts? But then he had to wonder if they could. From what Misaki had said, the Aoba Johsai didn’t seem too above kidnapping. He had to kick himself for putting the idea in Oikawa’s head of the Aoba Johsai in the first place.

“That’s strange… tomorrow I have a day off so I’ll look into it for you. But one more thing, was Hanamaki with Nekomata when you went to see him?”

Misaki shook her head, “no. I didn’t even see him all day until a couple of hours ago when he went with Nekomata down to the cells. He always looks irritated but he seemed worse today. I tried to offer him some coffee, but he only seemed to get even more irritated. ”

Semi had to wonder if she had any clue Hanamaki was involved with the Aoba Johsai, but he didn’t ask as he looked to his watch, “it’s almost midnight. How about I walk you home? I don’t think this food’s gonna get finished.”

The brunette smiled, “such a gentleman. I can’t believe you’re still single. I bet the ladies fawn all over you.”

He chuckled, “no, I don’t swing that way.”

-

The walk back to Misaki’s apartment was spent mostly talking about their love lives to lighten the air.

“I admit I’ve only dated one guy and he was on my volleyball team back in high school,” Semi sighed longingly.

“Did you guys just drift apart?” Misaki inquired.

“No. Well, I guess you could say that… He kind of just up and disappeared, so what about you?”

Misaki looked down as she fiddled with her fingers, “I’ve never really had a relationship that my dad didn’t try to interfere with. It was a part of the reason I came to Tokyo. Don’t get me wrong, I love him but he was becoming too suffocating. I was offered the job in the station right out of college and he didn’t want me to take it. But I’m glad I did. I got to meet you and Alisa…”

When Semi scratched at his head, Misaki blushed, “Alisa was the girl I was telling you about earlier… You know, I’m actually doing my own research into the Aoba Johsai to see if they have her… I was wondering if you could… Ah! Look out!”

Semi had no idea what was going on as Misaki suddenly pushed him away until he heard a gunshot echo throughout the air. Time seemed to move slowly as he watched a bullet tear through the brunette’s small chest. She let out a small cry as she tumbled down into Semi’s arms.

“Mi-Misaki!”

Looking around he caught sight of a slick black car tearing down the street towards him and Misaki, ready to ram them both. It was close, but he was able to jump into a narrow alleyway that the car couldn’t fit through.

As the car passed by, Semi was briefly able to see into the passenger side where he saw Nekomata peering back at him, a pistol in hand that he pointed threateningly at him, but he didn’t shoot, the car was gone before he could.

“S-S-Se-Semi…,” he could hear Misaki whine against his chest.

“Wh-what were you doing? That bullet was meant for me! Misaki, hold on, dammit!”

She was slowly going cold against his chest as he tried to fumble around for his cell phone.

“I-I nngh no, I won’t apologize…,” by the time her eyes began to flutter, Semi was on the phone trying to get an ambulance.

“Just hold on, an ambulance is on the way!”

Moving her to the ground, he began to try to stop the bleeding. Assessing the wound, he pulled open her blouse and began to use his own jacket to stop the bleeding.

“C’mon, Misaki! I need you to breathe for me!”

When her chest didn’t rise, he moved to try CPR, but before he could he was pushed away by what he assumed to be a paramedic as he began notice the blue and red lights that flooded the small alleyway.

As two men began to place Misaki on a gurney, another patted Semi on the shoulder, “don’t worry. We’ll take care of her. Come on, we’ll take you to the hospital with her.”

Semi was wary to get into the ambulance, but he knew he couldn’t leave Misaki. He sat close to the exit, never taking his eyes off the two that were working on Misaki until a blond man with a streak of black sat down beside him.

“Don’t worry. At the hospital, Doctor Moniwa’ll help your girlfriend! He’s the best Doctor in the area!” the man assured firmly even as Misaki’s heart rate was dropping quickly.

Semi said nothing. He didn’t have the energy. Everything he had was going to his mind in a desperate attempt to put everything together. But even as they reached the hospital, the man who introduced himself as Koganegawa Kanji didn’t leave his side, making thinking extremely difficult.

“Don’t you have somewhere else to be?” Semi near hissed as Koganegawa made himself comfy beside him in the waiting room, a small cup of soup in hand.

“Nope, I’m on break and I just want to make sure you’re okay. You look really frazzled,” he stated before he started to slurp up his noodles, spattering Semi with a bit of broth.

“Yeah, and you’re making it worse, so go away.”

But Koganegawa didn’t budge. He stayed until a short, dark haired man in a pair of fresh scrubs came out of the operating room.

“Kaname, how is she?!” he asked wildly before Semi could even stand up.

The doctor fiddled with his fingers, “right now it’s touch and go. We’ve done all we can. It’s up to her now, um…,” he looked to the white-haired man nervously.

“It’s Semi.”

“Semi, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Moniwa Kaname, I treated your friend. We have moved her to the ICU… You’re more than welcome to see her. Do you want to?”

Semi nodded and Moniwa began to lead him down the hall, but not before shooing Koganegawa away with the notion for him to get back to work.

-

“This is her room. Stay as long as you like, just try to keep your voice down,” once he let Semi in, Moniwa disappeared down the hall.

The room was dark, only lit by a small light atop of Misaki’s bed that made her look terribly pale against the white sheets. As quietly as he could, he took a seat at her bedside. He was content to just sit quietly at her side until she opened her eyes.

“Semi…”

“M-Misaki, you should rest,” he thought about looking for Moniwa, but he stopped when the brunette caught his hand.

“Semi, i-if I don’t make it-“

“Don’t say that!” he could feel his palms begin to sweat as he stare into Misaki’s dulled brown eyes, “you’ll be okay. You’ll be okay.”

When her grip on his hand began to falter, Semi felt a hand squeeze his shoulder.

“Semi, why don’t you go home and rest?” Moniwa spoke behind him.

-

Semi did as he was told but he didn’t rest. He couldn’t relax as he paced around his apartment considering his next move. He couldn’t return to work, that much he knew. Nekomata clearly wanted him dead, be it because of thoughts on Kuroo and Akaashi’s story or not, he didn’t know. Sighing, he wandered over to his desk and pulled out a small photo of himself and a copper-haired man with uneven bangs.

“…Shirabu, maybe if I ran with you guys, things wouldn’t be so messed up,” he huffed, pocketing the picture before he ran out the door.

-

“You do realize you just tried to kill your own subordinate, right?” Kuroo hissed, “and do you even care that you hit the wrong person?!”

He was struggling violently against his bindings as he stared daggers at the back of Nekomata’s head from the back of the car. If Hanamaki wasn’t driving and he wasn’t so sure the pink-haired man would send him spiraling down into another memory, he would have tackled the old man.

“Yes I do. I must say though, I didn’t think you two would actually tell Semi what happened and I certainly didn’t think he’d buy it. I guess it’s what I get for trying to be somewhat professional but it doesn’t matter. I didn’t hit him but Misaki instead. You two know her, right? I baited you both out with her name after all,” Nekomata chuckled with a small glance back at Kuroo and Akaashi through the rear view mirror, “she was becoming too nosey anyway. But what did I expect from the brat of Ukai Keishin?” He rambled on.

“You’re a monster you know, that old man?” when he leaned forward too far, Akaashi pulled him back.

“Tetsurou, don’t.”

“You know I saw your friend today, Kozume was it?”

Kuroo saw red. He lunged forward at the man, in spite of Akaashi telling him to stop. He didn’t get far however as Hanamaki stopped the car suddenly, causing him to slam his head into the dash board.

“Ohoho, see? This is why seat belts exist,” the old man taunted.

“K-Kenma… What did you do to him?” Kuroo grounded out as Akaashi pulled him back into his seat by the belt loops of his jeans, “I swear if you…”

He didn’t realize how hard he had hit his head as his vision began to swim and darken. If Nekomata answered him he didn’t know as he fell unconscious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If updates become a little sporadic, college is kicking my butt black and blue TAT


	24. Chapter 24

Much like Daichi, Sugawara wasn’t doing any better with locating Asahi. He scoured the tall man’s room, checking for any hiding places, but he was nowhere to be found and neither was Noya. Pursing his lips in thought, he stepped outside only to ram into a shorter man.

“Ah, Yaku, I’m sorry!” he quickly apologized as the light brunette looked up at him oddly with his red eyes.

“It’s fine. Really Suga,” Yaku muttered. It was easy to tell he wasn’t in the mood to talk as he tried to walk around Sugawara with little success as the grey haired man blocked his path effectively.

“Yaku, you wouldn’t have happened to see Asahi around have you?”

The brunette shook his head, his eyes not focused on Sugawara but down the hall, “no, maybe he’s outside. I sent Noya and Tanaka and that Shirabu guy to the store, but he didn’t go with them…”

He seemed almost irritated by his own words as he forced himself by Sugawara without so much as an apology.

“I guess he just needs his space,” Sugawara sighed as he continued on his way, not really paying attention to where he was going until he found himself ramming into Tendou, knocking the taller man over, “ah! I’m ramming into everyone today! I’m sorry.”

He reached down to help the other man up, but his hand was refused. Tendou instead shifted into a cat with short red fur and escaped between his legs.

Choosing not to question it, Sugawara wandered out the back exit of Karasuno and into a garden that was occupied by a massive man with short white hair holding a bushel of potatoes and radishes while a brunette man worked, picking more from the ground.

“Hey Aone, Futakuchi, have any of you two seen Asahi?”

The brunette looked up from his work to stare at his companion, “Aone, didn’t you help Asahi out with something after Noya took off today?”

Aone nodded as he put down the harvest to exit the garden. Sugawara followed close behind him even as they ventured a small ways into the forest surrounding the school until they came across a small pond with a willow tree hanging close by. Asahi was sitting under it with a couple of squirrels bouncing around his knees taking the small bits of turnip he offered until they caught sight of Aone and Sugawara and fled.

Asahi didn’t seem to be the least surprised as he tilted his head upwards, trying to locate Sugawara as he came closer. Aone on the other hand decided he’d return to the garden.

“Hi Asahi, how’re you today? I like the ribbon in your hair. Did Noya get that for you?” Sugawara smiled as he plopped down in the grass beside the blind man. He took ahold of his hand to assure him of where he was.

With his free hand, Asahi ran his hand over the small purple ribbon that held up his hair in a loose bun. “Ah yeah… Noya got it from Shirabu last night. He said it was made from his old volleyball uniform and Noya thought that it was so cool… But you’re not here to talk about my ribbon are you?” he muttered, resting his bandaged eyes on what he assumed to be the other man’s face.

Sugawara frowned, “no… Daichi said you’ve been avoiding him.”

“I-I have not,” he weakly argued.

Deciding that being blunt was his only option, Sugawara opened his mouth to speak again, “Asahi, there’s a spy among us and Daichi thinks you know who it is. If someone here still has a connection to the Aoba Johsai and you’re not telling me, then we’re all in danger and I don’t think you want to go back to them after what they did to you.”

Asahi shrunk in on himself as he pawed self consciously at the bandages on his eyes, “n-no…”

“Then please tell me what you know, Asahi.”

The brunette bit his lip, “bu-but it may be too late…”

“Too late? What do you-,“ his skin turned to ice as the smell of smoke drifted into his nose. Looking back to where Karasuno sat, he could see a thick plume of dark smoke rising.

-

When Kageyama took a step back, the brunette moved closer, and the closer he got, the warmer the space got.

“What do you want from me?” Kageyama questioned firmly, allowing his voice to betray none of his fear.

“If I had a choice, nothing. I’ve heard about what you’re capable of but I have my orders, Crow.”

Kageyama could have sworn he saw flames begin to encircle the man as he drew closer, but before they could manifest into anything, the brunette let off a pained yelp as a cat lunged at him, taking a clean bite out of his shoulder before landing gracefully at the raven’s feet. Kageyama was speechless until the cat began to speak.

“Well what are you doing, kid? That guy, Yaku’s dangerous!” the cat shouted as it morphed into Tendou, “trust me, I know these things!”

Before Kageyama could say anything, Tendou tackled him, forcing him through the roof door, startling both Hinata and Kenma.

“Holy hell!” Hinata exclaimed as he jumped to his feet, placing himself in front of Kenma until he noticed who it was, “Tobio, Tendou? What the heck?! You guys nearly gave me a heart attack!”

Tendou didn’t say anything as he was trying to get the door shut which proved difficult as Yaku was on the other side pounding on it. Kageyama on the other hand, was having a difficulty trying to process what had just happened.

“Ugh Tendou, who did you rile up this time?” Hinata huffed when he went unanswered, “did you bother Tsukishima? Here, let me talk to him.”

When he walked up to the exit, the red head slapped at him.

“Either help me keep this door shut or keep those two calm!” Tendou barked, making Hinata puff out his cheeks.

Kenma had moved to Kageyama’s side, seemingly observing him as if he expected him to have another bloody nose.

“Well we’ll have to get off this roof eventually, you know!” exerting what looked to be little strength, Hinata lifted Tendou out of the way in spite of the man’s demand for him to stop.

With Tendou out of the way, Hinata opened the door only for a pillar of thick dark smoke to escape through, along with spurts of bright red flames that nearly licked the orange haired teen’s face, “th-that’s not Tsukishima!”

“Gee, what was your first clue?” the red head snorted as Yaku emerged from the smoke. The flames encircled his body like an armor that took the shape of what appeared to be a cat from the pair of fires that formed on his head to the long wisp of fire that flicked back and forth from his backside.

“I don’t want to fight. Just give me the Crow or else.”

“Or else what?” Tendou hissed, “or you gonna kill us like you did Reon?!”

To prove his point, he breifly morphed into the darker skinned man Kageyama recognized from the picture Shirabu had shown him what seemed like an eternity ago.

Yaku stepped back but he didn’t seem any bit deterred as the flames that surrounded him grew larger, “I had a job, nothing more, nothing less. It was your friend’s fault for involving himself with one Nekomata’s pawns.”

While Tendou barred his teeth, Hinata looked on in confusion, “Y-Yaku, I don’t understand. What is he talking about? You aren’t involved with Nekomata, are you? You can’t be!”

“Don’t say it like that. You make it sound even more disgusting than it already is,” he sighed as he allowed the flames to consume his body until nothing was visible but the cat-like form the fire took, “now let’s just make this easy until the Aoba Johsai comes.”

“Y-you told them our location?!” Hinata squawked, the mortal terror on his face easy to see.

“They’ve always known, Hinata. They always have.”

When Hinata began to shake, Kageyama stood, moving to stand by his side. Bending down slightly, he whispered into the other teen’s ear, “Hinata, I want to know if you trust me.” It wasn’t Hinata or Kenma, Yaku wanted. It was him and he wasn’t about to let them get caught in the crossfire if he could help it.

As Yaku began to circle them, Tendou and Kenma came closer to the pair to avoid the flyaway flames.

“Yes, be-because even if you don’t remember me, you’re still my best friend.”

The raven bit his lip as he stared into the shorter teen’s shinning tigers eyes. ”Okay then. Take Kenma’s hand and run off the roof,” Kenma looked at Kageyama like he was crazy, but Hinata nodded.

“I trust you to catch us.”

Without much of a warning, Tendou snagged Yaku’s attention by shifting into the form of an eagle and began to flutter around him, annoying the fiery mass greatly as he tried to shoot him down with blasts of fire that only seemed to scatter around the forest outside of Karasuno instead. This gave Hinata and Kenma the slip. The pair ran to the edge with Kageyama on their tails.

“A-are you sure about this?” Kenma murmured as he readjusted his grip on Hinata’s shirt. Below he could see a couple of people staring at him, but they all looked like ants in his eyes.

Hinata nodded, “I know he can do this!”

And with those words, he pulled Kenma close to his body and threw both of themselves overboard.


	25. Chapter 25

Everything slowed around Kageyama as he watched Hinata and Kenma fall. He could see the reassuring smile forming on Hinata’s lips as the taunting laugh Tendou sent Yaku’s way met his ears. But he ignored it all as he just pictured the pair safe on the ground without a scratch until he heard Hinata’s loud cheering from below.

Kageyama didn’t even know he had closed his eyes until he had to open them to see that Hinata and Kenma had stopped falling at a rapid rate to the speed of a feather floating casually from the sky as Daichi and a white haired man he didn’t know stood below the pair ready to catch them.

“Oyy Tobio, I knew you could do it!” Hinata shouted up at him, positively beaming as Daichi caught him and Kenma around their waists. His smile was infectious, but it was quickly blotted out by the smoke that erupted from the lower level.

In spite of knowing that Hinata and Kenma were safe, things didn’t get any better. In an angered fit, Yaku had lobbed a fire ball at Tendou too fast for him to avoid. The fire managed to clip his wing, singeing it to the point where he lost his eagle form.

“Tendou!” Kageyama cried as he saw Tendou knocked from the air. He wasn’t so sure he was conscious as he fell limply off the side of the building, a deep burn covering most of his right arm and side.

Kageyama wasted no time as he raced after Tendou. The building was beginning to lose its constitution to the point where some sections nearly crumbled under his feet and Yaku wasn’t helping matters as he ran at him in what he assumed to be an attempt to trap him. But he seemed to have miscalculated as he ended up falling through the roof, causing much of it to nearly give way. If he hadn’t jumped at Tendou’s falling form, the raven knew he would have been killed in the rubble if the fire hadn’t gotten him first.

“Wow, you got some serious balls, kid,” Tendou choked out as he cracked open one smoke- irritated eye to see Kageyama’s scrunched up face.

Kageyama said nothing. He was trying to concentrate on not getting the both of them spattered on the dirt below. It was different trying to concentrate on himself than it was Hinata, Kenma, or even Goshiki. It just happened with the others.

“Okay, the ground’s coming up pretty fast, kid! Make with the levitation thingy! I don’t wanna be a pancake!”

“I-I don’t know what to do! I’ve never tried lifting myself and just lifting you isn’t working!” he babbled while Tendou began to squawk.

“If concentrating isn’t working, think of something you enjoy! That’s what I do and it hasn’t failed yet!”

Kageyama thought about questioning Tendou on why he wasn’t doing anything then but he chose against it as he tried to think about what he enjoyed. The only thing that came to mind was volleyball. He could remember the net of his middle school gym like it was only yesterday, Iwaizumi and Oikawa on the other side waiting for him to serve it over.

_“Come on Tobio-Chan, what are you waiting for? I’m not getting any younger!” _Oikawa sang while Iwaizumi rolled his eyes.__

 _ __“You above anyone else should know what it’s like trying to perform a perfect serve, Trashykawa.” _____

 _ _ _ _When Iwaizumi lowered into a crouch, Kageyama sent the ball over, which he caught with ease and sent back over.____

 _ _ _ _

After the game continued for what seemed like an hour, Oikawa opened his mouth to speak, only his voice didn’t come out but Tendou’s instead.

“Oh my God, we’re not dead!” he cackled aloud as Kageyama’s eyes snapped open.

Tendou sat at his side pawing lightly at his burnt skin as if it didn’t bother him but Kageyama paid him no mind. He was staring back up at Karasuno. The roof was near invisible in the thick plume of dark smoke that still emanated from it. He had to wonder if Yaku was still alive in that mess. But even that wasn’t what had his attention. Two floors down from the roof, he swore he could see movement in one of the rooms.

“Tendou… do you think everyone made it out okay?” he ended up asking as he propped himself up.

“I don’t think Daichi would leave stragglers, but who knows how fast that fire spread inside… I hope they got Wakatoshi out all right though…”

Kageyama said nothing as he kept his eyes trained on the room until he caught a glimpse of gold pass by the window.

“Tsukishima!” he called out until the blonde appeared by the broken window. He looked drowsy and dirty as soot covered most of his body and some of his face. Even the blonde’s glasses were covered in a grimy mess. Kageyama knew he hated him, but he was sure he didn’t hate him enough to not allow him to help. He outstretched his arms to Tsukishima to show he wanted to help.

Tsukishima took one look at him and scowled, “I’d sooner throw myself into the fire.”

Kageyama’s jaw dropped as Tendou let out a morbid snicker, “I’m sure he won’t burn. Salt doesn’t catch fire.”

If Tsukishima’s scowl could get any worse, it did as he tried to shout down an insult at Tendou but he quickly shut it when the building began to creak and moan. He briefly moved away from the window to avoid a few stray clumps of falling rubble, but when he returned he actually looked scared, “f-fine, I’ll accept your help.”

Nodding, Kageyama focused on him and lifted him from the building. It was easy to see Tsukishima’s discomfort even as he was brought down to the ground without so much as a wobble as the building began to level itself.

“So what do you have to say to Kageyama? He saved your ass,” Tendou stated matter-of-factly as he clapped Kageyama on the shoulder, not paying attention to the teen’s slight shake.

Tsukishima fiddled with his fingers as he tried to look anywhere but at the two men before him, “I appreciate the assistance, but it wouldn’t have been necessary if-“

“Tsukishima!” Hinata bellowed, drowning out the blonde.

The three turned to see Hinata dragging Kenma along behind him, “Tsukishima, you’re okay! Daichi told me he couldn’t get to you before the fire got too bad. Are you okay?!” he let go of Kenma to look over the tall blonde until he was shooed away.

“I saw what happened, and-“

“Quit it. I’m fine. I just want to go back to bed. It’s barely even the afternoon,” to prove his point he let out a yawn, “but I don’t think I will because he’s brought the Aoba Johsai to our door and now we’ll all be carted back. I wonder if our cell is the same way we left it.”

Hinata puffed out his cheeks when he saw Kageyama look down at his feet, “Tsukishima, they’ve known we were here this whole time! Stop blaming Tobio for everything! It was actually Yaku who started the fire. Apparently he was working with the Aoba Johsai.

He was the one who said that they’ve known about Karasuno the whole time.”

Tsukishima crossed his arms in disbelief; that was until they all heard a scream from the front of the burning building.

As Tsukishima, Tendou, and Kageyama ran to investigate, Hinata instructed Kenma to stay behind as he felt it was safer. Kenma wasn’t exactly fond of the idea, but he didn’t argue as Hinata ran to join with the others.

-

Over the roar of the fire, the helicopters of the Aoba Johsai went unheard until they were on top of Karasuno. That was what Kageyama and Tendou assumed as they watched Lev knock Daichi into a tree with a triumphant cackle.

“Hanamaki-san wanted me to get you back for hitting him the other day!”

“Yeah, I’m sure he did,” Daichi hissed as he spat out a glob of blood and what appeared to be part of a tooth into the dirt.

However, unlike their other encounter, Bokuto wasn’t around. Instead Goshiki was, with a shiny metal collar secured tightly around his neck. He was lobbing balls of magma at the white haired man, who Hinata referred to as Aone’s way, who only kept them at bay with his arms that seemed to be a shining metallic color. Ushijima stood behind him bobbing around, looking for an opening to get at Goshiki. He held his lips tightly together, whether in pain or worry for the young teen, the others weren’t sure. Ennoshita nonetheless was trying to get him out of the line of fire.

None of them seemed to notice the others.

“Tsukishima, didn’t that scream sound like Futakuchi?” Hinata whispered.

The blonde nodded, “but if it was, Aone would be running after him. I guess Tsutomu’s giving him a run for his money… Wait what’s that?”

Through the smoky air, a brunette man came running out of the forest at a blinding speed, only stopping once he was behind Aone, his brown eyes were wide with fear as he stared back into the forest where a dark shadow was stalking its way through.

“Is that who I think it is?” Hinata questioned with a tug to Tsukishima’s sleeve.

“No it can’t be…,” Kageyama gaped. But it was. When the figure emerged from the smoke, he was greeted by the sight of an irritated Iwaizumi cracking his arm back into place.

__

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	26. Chapter 26

“I-I don’t understand. How is he still alive? I-I…,” Kageyama babbled. He didn’t know if he was happy or not as he watched Iwaizumi’s movement.

Iwaizumi didn’t look much different from when Kageyama last saw him. He was still wearing his workout gear, the last outfit he saw him alive in. The only difference he could spot right off the bat was the metal collar that hung around his purpled neck.

For a moment Kageyama considered him to be just a ghost, but that thought quickly ceased as the older teen cracked his knuckles, bringing Lev and Goshiki to his side.

Tsukishima snorted, “I didn’t believe you Hinata, but it looks like he really doesn’t remember anything.”

If looks could kill, the blonde would have been six feet under, buried in concrete. Kageyama growled.

“It’s true. I don’t remember much, but… Iwaizumi…,” he had barely even taken his eyes off Iwaizumi for a minute and yet when he looked back, both Lev and Iwaizumi were missing. Goshiki on the other hand had taken a harsher offensive against Aone.

Aone was the only one who fought him effectively as Ushijima refused to fight back like he deemed it to be futile. The only person who was keeping him safe from Goshiki was Ennoshita. When one of the younger teen’s volleys came too close, he’d generate a shield of ice to protect them both. They melted quickly, but they did the job until Futakuchi got them both out of harm’s way.

“Um, Tsukishima, did you see where they went?” Hinata questioned, his eyes darting back and forth rapidly which only increased when the blonde shook his head.

Tendou was the only one out of the group that didn’t share much concern over Iwaizumi and Lev’s disappearance, “maybe they booked it. I dunno, but I’m gonna help out that titan over there. Tsutomu’s not in his right mind right now and I don’t want him getting squished.”

“But you’re-,” he easily waved Kageyama off.

“I’m fine, really. It’s just a burn that’ll scar me for the rest of my life. Nothing big you know,” with a smile he shifted into a red-furred wolf with a patch of fluff missing where his burn was and dashed off with a howl that caught Goshiki’s attention easily.

With Tendou gone, Hinata looked nervously back to where he left Kenma before he took off, “I shouldn’t have left him! What if they moved over there?!”

Tsukishima didn’t share his worry.

“Now I think you’re giving Lev too much credit,” yet he moved to follow after the orange-haired teen until he heard Kageyama let out a gasp. Turning, he found Iwaizumi had reappeared. The spiky haired teen held the raven by the waist with one arm while the other covered his eyes. The blonde’s eyes narrowed. From his peripherals, he could see that Hinata had already disappeared into the smoke.

He sighed, “I hope you don’t expect me to do anything since you’re still standing there, Iwaizumi. I couldn’t care less about him, but that stupid crow should be able to get himself free so I wouldn’t dilly dally.”

Iwaizumi rested his head lazily on Kageyama’s neck, “you wouldn’t hurt me again would you, Kageyama?”

The blonde’s frown only grew when the other teen shook his head.

“That’s good to know…,” he leaned closer to Kageyama’s ear, whispering something that Tsukishima couldn’t hear but was enough to incite a struggle in the raven.

-

Hinata ran as fast as he could through the thickening smoke. For the most part of what he could see of Karasuno, the flames had died out on their own, only leaving smoke and the charred building as the proof they were ever even there.

But Karasuno wasn’t his concern as he called out to Kenma. The dyed blonde had never been the most vocal during the time he spent with him, but he hoped for a response nonetheless even if it was just a cough. When Kenma didn’t respond, thoughts of fear began to nibble at his head, either that or it was from smoke inhalation; he wasn’t so sure at this point. He knew Iwaizumi and Lev were on the loose and neither of them seemed like they wanted to do things peacefully.

Even as the smoke finally began to dissipate, it was still hard to see, but as the fog whitened, Hinata could see two forms in the distance: one was on the ground while the other hovered over.

“Kenma!” without thinking Hinata ran at what he assumed to be Kenma’s attacker and placed himself in between, “I won’t let you hurt him!”

“Oh I wasn’t gonna, I swear! My master wants him alive!”

Hinata didn’t care as he kicked at Lev, nailing him painfully in the shin.

“I don’t know what happened after me and Tsukishima left, but I never thought Alisa would let you become Nekomata’s puppet!” he barked as he carefully watched the massive teen back away to rub at his shin. He refused to let him out of his line of sight.

Lev pulled his lips into a tight frown as he hunched over, clearly favoring his good leg, “I don’t even know who you’re talking about. And why do you know my master’s name, huh? You don’t even look familiar!” Angered, his emerald eyes turned into dangerous slits as he flexed his fingers, his nails sharpening into claws that could tear cleanly through flesh, a fact Hinata knew very well.

“While I don’t know how you could forget your own sister…,” the shorter teen started as he raised his fists in an attempt to look somewhat intimidating, “or even forget me but I won’t hesitate to take you down if you try to take Kenma with you to that crazy old man!”

Hinata was running on fumes by this point as the sun over Karasuno had been obscured too long. He knew his powers weren’t at their fullest and he could only hope for some backup.

_‘Sheesh, where’s Tsukishima and Tobio when you need them?’ _he thought sourly until he heard a loud crack that sounded almost like a gunshot. Taking his eyes off Lev for only a moment, he turned his head towards Karasuno to see a large section of the building tearing off, ready to flatten the three of them. Unable to move Kenma in time without fear of interference from Lev, Hinata put his arms up, stopping the section. Small chunks of the concrete broke off as he caught it, but they luckily didn’t come close to Kenma’s downed form much to his relief.__

 _ _“Wow, you made my job so easy!”__

 _ _

Hinata’s blood ran cold. Sure he saved them all from meeting an early death, but he was left completely immobilized. He didn’t have the energy to throw the slab at Lev like he wanted to so desperately. It was now only a moment of time before the wall would just crush him.

From the corner of his eye, he could see Lev bending down to pick Kenma up like a child would their doll. He could feel tears prickling at his eyes as he couldn’t do a thing, lest he kill them all.

“Lev!”

Eyes widening, Hinata’s attention retuned to Karasuno where Yaku stood covered in dust and scratches. The fire around him was gone, but it remained in his eyes as he limped over, paying Hinata no mind.

“Oh great, what do you want now, shrimp?” Lev hissed at the shorter man, uncaring of how the brunette’s eye dangerously twitched.

If things weren’t so dire, Hinata would have laughed. In the time he’d known Yaku, his height was something one didn’t bring up. He himself wasn’t that tall, but he never flew off the handle like Yaku did. He could remember a time when he had to treat Tsukishima for minor burns when he had made a snide comment of not seeing the other while he was walking. It almost made him forget how Yaku had turned on them.

Lev’s pained grunt brought Hinata out of his thoughts as he could see the white haired teen on the floor with Yaku standing over him. Kenma had been tossed to the side, luckily out from under the section of wall.

“I’m gonna kill that old man… You’re not supposed to be here…,” Hinata couldn’t tell if Yaku was talking more to himself or not, but Lev seemed not to care as he kicked out one of the shorter man’s legs.

He moved to pounce on him, but the moment his hand touched his skin, steam flared up and he recoiled, but not before he used his other hand to clobber the other upside his head with a loud hiss of pain.

Hinata watched in horror as Yaku was sent a good distance away where he landed, unmoving. Tears pricked at his eyes again as his arms began to quiver under the weight of the concrete slab. Through his watery vision, Yaku looked like nothing more than a blurry blob of brown and grey. He couldn’t even see Lev or Kenma anymore.

When his arms finally lost all their strength, he expected to be immediately crushed, but instead he found himself staring up at Daichi’s somber face.

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm pretty bad at answering messages or anything on here but I'm usually on my tumblr (and always willing to chat) which is Kirie-Kiku. Have a good week everyone and if you're going through finals like me, I wish you all the best! (*•̀ᴗ•́*)و ̑̑


	27. Chapter 27

Iwaizumi’s touch felt like fire to Kageyama’s skin. It didn’t feel right and yet he couldn’t do a thing. His powers were about as useless as his head at that moment as it still couldn’t grasp the fact that Iwaizumi was still alive. One part of him was elated while his more rational side began to question why the older teen was clearly with the Aoba Johsai, with Nekomata who, in his memories, Iwaizumi seemed to despise.

He could hear Iwaizumi and Tsukishima talking, but to him it all sounded warped, like his head was being forced underwater, that was until Iwaizumi drew close, his breath hot on his ear.

“…I knew you wouldn’t. You want to come home with me. Don’t worry, I promise Oikawa won’t get in the way.”

In all of the confusion, Kageyama had forgotten all about Oikawa. He had forgotten he was with the Aoba Johsai, in possible danger, in probable danger.

“What do you mean he ‘won’t get in the way’?! What the hell happened to Oikawa?!”

As his body finally got the idea to fight against the buffer teen’s hold, he had to mentally repeat over and over that Iwaizumi wasn’t in his right mind and that he would never hurt Oikawa, even as his own mind began to conjure up images of the setter bleeding out or worse. In spite of it all, Kageyama would never wish any harm to Oikawa. Tears began to burn his eyes as he broke free of Iwaizumi’s iron grip with a harsh kick to his shin. Tsukishima was standing before him, his amber gaze unreadable as he stared at him, his lips a fine line. Kageyama however could have cared less about Tsukishima at that point as he whipped around to meet Iwaizumi, but what met him wasn’t Iwaizumi.

Where Iwaizumi once stood was a woman with long white hair that covered most of her face and form as she bent down to rub at her pale shin that was slowly beginning to blossom a bright red against her pale skin.

“Oh… this wasn’t supposed to happen…,” she sighed, her accent thick as she rose to her full height. Much like Lev, she was a giant, yet lithe in every other respect and, also like Lev, she had piercing hunter- green eyes nestled under thick stark eyelashes.

It took a moment but her name came to mind.

“…Al-Alisa?” Kageyama asked, his voice shaking as well as his body.

The woman tilted her head until her cheek hit the collar that hung around her neck, “you remember me?”

When Kageyama nodded, she looked down sadly.

“I wish it didn’t have to come to this Tobio, and even you, Kei. I prayed night and day that both you and Hinata would stay away, safe. But things have changed,” her voice was quiet and soft even as she took Iwaizumi’s form once again, not caring how Kageyama recoiled closer to Tsukishima.

When ‘Iwaizumi’ ran at them, much to Kageyama’s surprise, Tsukishima pushed him out of the way, taking the full force of ‘his’ charge. The two pushed at each other, fingers locked and heels’ digging into the dirt, but it was clear who had the advantage.

“Well Cr-crow, I suppose we’re even, but it wouldn’t kill you to maybe get her off of me, wouldn’t you think? Nngh!” Tsukishima growled out before ‘Iwaizumi’ head-butted him, cracking both his glasses and nose. The blonde however stayed firm, even as blood trickled freely down his face.

Kageyama just stared dumbly from where he sat in the dirt as his brain tried to process everything that had just happened. ‘If this Iwaizumi is just Alisa in disguise, is the real Iwaizumi really dead? Is Oikawa in danger? Why does the Aoba Johsai want me so desperately? Am I really just one of their assets or something more?’ these were some of the many thoughts that crossed his mind.

“An-any day now, King!” Tsukishima barked, breaking the raven haired teen from his thoughts. The blonde had been brought to his knees by ‘Iwaizumi’s’ superior strength. He looked about ready to head-butt him again, but Kageyama’s loud grunt stopped him.

With an annoyed growl, ‘Iwaizumi’ looked over to see Kageyama, his arms raised upwards as if he was setting a volleyball but above his head was no volleyball, but a piece of debris from Karasuno.

“Leave him alone, dammit!” 

When he pushed his arms forward, the chunk of concrete followed on target to clobber Alisa until she morphed from Iwaizumi into Bokuto to make a quick getaway. The rubble ended up hitting the ground just beside Tsukishima and bouncing into Karasuno, causing the building to break down even more, the debris only just barely missing Tsukishima, who sent Kageyama death glare upon death glare, though he would never admit that he was thankful for Kageyama coming through for him in the end.

Alisa, as Bokuto, stared distastefully down at the scene before him as he floated around before perching upon a tree. The concrete, upon landing, kicked up a cloud of dust that mixed with the still circulating smoke, masking much of his vision.

“Hey Bokuto-san, our mission was a success. We got what we came for!”

Turning sharply, he was greeted by Lev, who had perched himself beside him with a wheezing teenage boy on his back with dyed blonde hair and visible dark roots that had ash sticking to them.

“Oh Lyo-, Lev, that’s wonderful…,” he sighed until the other white haired man looked at him funnily.

“What’s wrong, Bokuto-san? Are you sad you didn’t get the Crow or because that electric guy wasn’t around? Don’t worry! Master said he’s sure they’ll come around!” he assured before patting at the blonde on his back.

Bokuto smiled as genuinely as he could muster, “Yeah, we’ll get them next time. Let’s get back to the helicopter before we get caught again.”

Lev nodded with a wide smile, “yeah I can’t wait to tell Iwaizumi-san and Goshiki about my success!”

He didn’t see Bokuto biting his lip as he lunged to another tree towards the forest’s exit.

With another sigh, Alisa took Iwaizumi’s form again and followed after him.

-

When the dust settled, Kageyama collapsed into the dirt with a loud pant. Alisa was nowhere to be seen and all was quiet except for the occasional crumble of Karasuno. That was, at least, until Tendou came running over shouting for Tsukishima and him.

Tendou looked even more burnt than before. His jeans had become shorts and his toes were popping out of his shoes, but he noticed none of it as he stopped at Kageyama’s side, his brows knit together as he clenched his hands into fists to the point where they bled over the already dried trails.

“Goshiki was jus-just a distraction. That owl bastard came and made off with Wakatoshi and Ennoshita. That Road-runner, Futakuchi told me…”

Kageyama forced himself up and he could see Tsukishima trying to do the same.

“Wh-what?” he couldn’t imagine in a million years Ushijima allowing himself to get captured.

“H-he told me Wakatoshi just gave himself up… Ennoshita tried to fight for him but… he ended up just surrendering with him. Futakuchi only got away because Ennoshita made him run. He doesn’t even know what happened to Daichi, and I can’t say I do either, or even Sugawara or Asahi. Titan Man and Futakuchi are scouting around for them; at least they were when I came after you guys.”

“So what happened to Goshiki then?”

Tendou rubbed at his face with a sigh before grimacing as he realized he covered himself in his own blood, “after he scorched me and that Titan a new one, he fled into the forest. We went to chase after him but by that point Futakuchi showed up… Hey, where’s Hinata?”

Kageyama and Tsukishima, to a lesser degree, paled. The confrontation with Alisa wiped both him and Kenma from their adrenaline filled heads.

“He went after Kenma… Tsukishima-, “ Kageyama started until he realized the blonde was already on the move towards the back of Karasuno. He was quick to follow after, but neither got very far as Daichi materialized out of a puff of black smoke before them both.

Daichi looked like hell with a nasty bruise forming on the side of his face and a myriad of dirt and splinters that tore through the knit of his once clean beige sweater. Even his once bright black eyes were dulled and worn like he needed sleep. But sleep wouldn’t cure his ailment.

“…It’s nice to see you three are okay…,” he stumbled forward slightly into Tsukishima, catching the blonde by surprise and ending up bringing him down to the ground.

“Geez Daichi, how hard did that overgrown beanpole hit you?” Tendou questioned as he watched the dark haired man fumble around for purchase on Tsukishima’s thinner body.

“Well, my head’s still ringing and Hinata wasn’t helping…”

“You’ve seen Hinata?!” Kageyama immediately questioned before the blonde had the chance.

Daichi held at his head painfully as he glared Kageyama’s way, “I found him and Yaku in danger so I moved them to the forest where it was safe before I went looking for anyone else.”

Kageyama wanted to ask about Kenma but before he could, Tendou spoke, his eyes narrowed.

“You saved Yaku? You do realize he pretty much was the catalyst for all this bullshit right?”

Both Tsukishima and Kageyama were in silent agreement with the red head, but Daichi didn’t agree.

“Yes, I’m well aware. But I wasn’t going to leave him to die. Other than the fact that he may have valuable information against the Aoba Johsai, he’s still our friend.”

Tendou gagged, “he’s not my friend.”

Tsukishima rolled his eyes, “just take us to Hinata already.”

Opening his mouth, Kageyama went to ask about Kenma again but he ended up just getting a mouthful of smoke as Tendou pushed him onto Daichi, who teleported them away from Karasuno and into the forest where, when the smoke dissipated, they were greeted by Hinata’s unconscious form resting against a tree with Yaku laying at his side, curled into a ball. Kenma was nowhere in sight.

“Where’s Kenma?” Kageyama questioned, eyes scanning the area, a feeling of dread washing over.

“…Gone…,” Daichi answered, voice barely above a whisper as he wandered over to check on the two, “Hinata was hysterical. He begged me to look for him, but… he was nowhere to be found and that’s when I found you three.”

Kageyama didn’t say anything after that, instead he stared at his feet. When the others talked about getting out of the forest, he offered no input. He just followed wordlessly, listening to the crinkle of dead leaves under his feet, the whines of Hinata from Tsukishima’s back, and the grumbles of Tendou as he was forced to carry Yaku while Daichi led the way. The last thing he expected to hear however was Sugawara’s relieved call of Daichi’s name.

Finally looking up, Kageyama realized they had made it out of the forest and onto the sidewalk, outside of which a limo sat in wait with Sugawara climbing out of the side. The grey haired man immediately ran up to Daichi and pulled him into a tight embrace, pressing worried kisses to his forehead and cheeks until Daichi reciprocated. He rested his hand on Sugawara’s cheek, which the other man quickly leaned into.

“Daichi… I’m sorry I wasn’t of any help… I-I had to get Asahi to safety and…,” Daichi shushed him with a quick kiss.

“You did the right thing, Koushi. I couldn’t have asked for anymore of you.”

Sugawara didn’t seem to share his sentiments even as Aone and Futakuchi pulled themselves out of the limo along with Noya, Asahi, Shirabu, and an annoyed Tanaka.

While Shirabu wandered over to scold Tendou in an obvious attempt to hide the fact that he was tearing up, Tanaka punched a dent into a lamppost as his anger boiled over, though that was quickly masked away when a woman emerged from the limo.

Kageyama recognized her immediately. From her long silky dark hair, to her sparkling slate eyes covered only by a pair of pink-framed glasses as Shimizu Kiyoko.

“Sawamura’s right, Sugawara,” Shimizu spoke, her voice like a soft breeze, “you did the right th-“

She seemed to stop herself as she locked eyes with Kageyama. The contact was only brief, but she was quick to look away.

“It’s not safe out here. Please, let’s go back to my home,” without waiting for a response, she ducked back into the limo, leaving the group confused as they followed her in.


	28. Chapter 28

Once they were back at the Aoba Johsai’s headquarters, instead of being put back in that small room, Oikawa, Kindaichi, and Kunimi were cuffed and immediately locked into a barred cell like every other mutant in the prison block with a ratty bed in one corner and a toilet that looked like it had seen better days in the other.

“I’ll deal with you three when I get back,” Nekomata growled at the three before he stormed away with Hanamaki following close behind once he locked the other mutants up. The pink-haired man, upon passing, sent them an unreadable look before he disappeared down the hall, his footsteps echoing against the pavement before vanishing completely, leaving only the sound of crying from the next cell over.

While Kindaichi and Kunimi moved themselves onto the ratty bed in the corner of the cell, Oikawa head-butted the wall.

“God, Iwaizumi was right, I am an idiot!” he choked, stinging tears running down his face. He had been unable to face his teammates since they were all shoved onto the helicopter and cuffed. He didn’t even allow them to check where Nekomata had hit him. He had just shrunk in on himself in hopes that a sudden gust of wind would pull him from the helicopter and end him. But he knew his selfish desire wouldn’t have changed a thing. Kindaichi and Kunimi would still be in the same position.

Kindaichi opened his mouth to say something but it was Kunimi who spoke instead, “if you think we’re mad at you, you’re wrong. It was our choice to follow you or not and we did. You don’t need to beat yourself up. You being an idiot has nothing to do with it.”

“If anything we’re all idiots together,” Kindaichi finished with a small smile as Oikawa turned towards the pair to reveal a reddened patch of tear-stained skin on his cheek that was sure to become a nasty bruise later, along with another reddening spot on his forehead.

“Yeah, I suppose so… you know, you two are the best teammates a captain could ask for,” Oikawa smiled genuinely as he walked over towards the two, not noticing the looks of shock from them even as he sat down beside them. The bed was as uncomfortable as it looked as a spring made its presence known on his thigh.

A wide smile formed on Kindaichi’s face while Kunimi remained as passive as ever.

“Thanks Captain,” Kindaichi spoke, smile never leaving his face, “and we’re glad to have you as a captain! It won’t be the same once you graduate.”

Oikawa just hummed his response as he stared at his feet which hung off the bed. He didn’t have the faith that he would see that day anymore and he wasn’t so sure they would either. Time passed by slowly for the three in the now eerily quiet cell block. It wasn’t until they dozed off that activity seemed to increase.

Oikawa was startled awake by the rattle of the cell door. Through his bleary eyes, he could barely make out the silhouettes of who he assumed to be Nekomata and Hanamaki.

“Hanamaki, I want you to take that one to the lab. He has the most potential out of the three,” Nekomata stated as he pointed into the cell. Oikawa couldn’t exactly tell which one of them he was pointing at, nor did he rightfully care as the pink haired man drew closer, stopping only when the brunette placed himself in front of his still asleep teammates.

“What do you want, Makki-Chan?” Oikawa seethed, voice barely above a whisper. In the low light of the cell, Hanamaki’s body was nothing more than a walking shadow. The only bit of light which came from a dim bulb on the ceiling could only reach the pink-haired man’s face, accenting the almost dead look in his eyes as he came to a stop at the bed.

“You’re not taking any of us if that’s what you’re thinking.”

Hanamaki let off a low groan as he looked back to Nekomata with tired eyes.

A smirk formed on the old man’s face, “bring that one too. I think I might have a surprise for him.”

Nodding, Hanamaki reached out and grabbed both Oikawa and Kunimi by their hair and pulled.

Oikawa fell to the floor with a hiss while Kunimi let off a startled snort. Kindaichi was the only one left on the dilapidated bed, confused as to why Hanamaki was dragging his friends off as he woken up by the commotion.

“Hey, cut it out! Can’t you see you’re hurting them?” he growled, lunging at Hanamaki. Bound or not he wasn’t going to let his teammates go without a fight.

Hanamaki rolled his eyes as he sidestepped away, causing the spiky haired teen to end up hitting the cell bars and causing the rickety metal to ring and Nekomata to snicker.

“Kindaichi, are you okay?!” Oikawa bellowed. He pulled harshly at Hanamaki’s hold, but the older man’s grip was surprisingly solid.

By the time Kindaichi finally rolled back onto his feet, Hanamaki had already pulled Kunimi and Oikawa out of the cell and slammed it shut. He held the bars with one hand and his profusely bleeding nose with the other.

“…You better not hurt them!” he spat, trying to not sound nasally or garbled as he shook the bars.

“Well I suppose that depends on them, now doesn’t it?” Nekomata sang whilst gesturing for Hanamaki to move forward with the two as he finally got the pair on their feet.

Kindaichi glared daggers at the old man until he noticed Kunimi staring back at him, his dark eyes glistening with fear.

“Oh, young love… it never lasts anyways, boy,” Nekomata stated snidely before he walked over to the next cell where the crying had come from. He was talking to the cell’s inhabitants, but Kindaichi couldn’t hear for the life of him what the old man was saying past the blood rushing through his ears. He decided very quickly however what was said didn’t matter as he watched Iwaizumi walk by alongside the boy Nekomata had called ‘Swan’ earlier.

Kindaichi’s jaw dropped open, “I-Iwaizumi?!”

“Hey you,” a man’s voice called, startling the teen until he found where it came from. In the cell across from his (which he didn’t notice was occupied until now) stood a man with messy dark hair and clearly irritated green-grey eyes that remained mostly hidden behind his thick eyelashes. He had both of his hands bracing himself against the cell bars as his legs appeared too unsteady to hold him. Why he didn’t just sit down was beyond Kindaichi until he noticed a seemingly unconscious man on the lone bed in their cell.

“Me?”

The man rolled his eyes, “yes you. Why don’t you have a collar?” he questioned, pointing at his own neck where a chaffing silver collar sat.

Kindaichi scratched at his head until he realized just what the collar was probably for. He had seen one on the swan boy and Iwaizumi the more he thought about it. Though while he knew the Swan was clearly a mutant, he wasn’t so sure why Iwaizumi had one if that was even him. He was sure by this point Iwaizumi had probably had his funeral and the rest of the volleyball team was wondering why Oikawa, Kunimi, and him didn’t show up.

“I-I’m not a mutant,” he answered truthfully and mostly to keep Nekomata away. He knew at this point, he was the best shot of getting him and his friends out.

The man pursed his lips as he looked to where Hanamaki had taken Oikawa and Kunimi, “Nekomata’s gone by the way. I wouldn’t be talking to you right now if I wasn’t sure he was gone. My name’s Akaashi.”

“Kindaichi… So what are you and your friend here for?” Kindaichi inquired as he pulled his hand away from his nose, only to put it straight back when the bleeding, which he thought stopped, started again.

“I suppose my friend and I were tricked by false information put out by the Aoba Johsai. You see we were looking into them and ended up falling into a trap.”

Kindaichi wasn’t so sure he thought that completely true from the lack emotion in his voice or from the way he impatiently tapped at his cell bars like he was biding time.

“So what about you? You’re not a mutant. What did you do to gain the attention of the Aoba Johsai?”

“It’s a long story, so I’ll just give you a summary. A friend of mine and those two guys that old bastard took was murdered by another kid on our school’s volleyball team that was apparently a mutant, and we all agreed he couldn’t stay on the streets and one of my friends got information on the Aoba Johsai which led us to Nekomata and Hanamaki. We joined and were ordered to kill this guy who failed a mission to capture the kid who murdered our friend, and one thing led to another and we confronted that kid which we weren’t supposed to do. But… Now I’m not even so sure what’s going on anymore… ”

Akaashi nodded thoughtfully. Not the reaction Kindaichi expected, “I see you fell into the Aoba Johsai’s trap as well.”

“But do you allow the vines to grow around you or do you burn them away?”

Kindaichi bounced away from his cell bars when the lump on the other cell’s bed faced him. The man’s dark hair covered one side of his face thickly, leaving only one eye exposed which appeared to be a flickering gold in the fading light. He had one finger wrapped around the collar around his neck while another held what appeared to be a bobby pin, all the while he held a scheming smirk on his face.

“Tetsurou, don’t be so dramatic. He looks like he nearly wet himself.”

The other man just rolled his eyes as he sat up, “well, Kindaichi, was it? What do you say? Do you let the vines burn or grow?”

“B-burn?”

The man sent him a thumbs-up with his free hand as he finally got the collar off his neck before handing over the bobby pin so Akaashi could do the same.

-

While Hanamaki took Kunimi off to who knows where, Nekomata took over leading Oikawa. He led the teen down a long white corridor by the room he stayed in previously that he hadn’t noticed before and he was sure that it wasn’t by accident.

“So what kind of surprise do you have? I hope it’s milk bread,” Oikawa snapped sarcastically as he tugged at the old man’s hold on his cuffs. He knew he could break away anytime, but he wasn’t so sure what awaited him if he did as he swore he was being watched, but other than that, he was genuinely curious about what Nekomata wanted to show him.

“No, no, I think you’ll find this as a better surprise than a simple dessert,” the old man laughed as he stopped outside of a peeling white door and unlocked it. He stepped aside to allow Oikawa in first, which the brunette was skeptical of at first until he actually took a step inside.

His face lit up almost immediately, “I-Iwa-Chan?!”

In the back of the bright white room, Iwaizumi lay propped up in an ever whiter bed that washed his usually tanned skin out, but Oikawa couldn’t have cared less as he watched his chest rise and fall like a chest should.

He didn’t want to turn away in case it was a dream, but he looked back towards Nekomata anyway. The old man had taken a seat in a lounge chair in the back.

“H-how is he alive? T-Tobio-Chan-“

“Killed him? I’ll tell you right now he’s done it more than just once. Didn’t Iwaizumi ever tell you he was a mutant?”

Oikawa shook his head, “n-no that’s impossible.”

_‘Iwaizumi would have said something,’ _he added mentally.__

 _ _But Nekomata didn’t acknowledge his thought, “he regenerates his body at a remarkable rate and has so since childhood, just as Tobio could manipulate the objects around him with his mind. Did you know- oh would you look at that. Look who’s awakened.”__

 _ _

The brunette could almost feel Iwaizumi’s dark eyes boring into his back until he turned around to see the spiky haired man’s almost horrified expression.

“O-Oikawa what are you doing here?” his voice was scratchy and worn as he tried not to meet the brunette’s eyes, at least that was until a click of metal against metal echoed through the air.

Looking up, he was met by the sight of Nekomata holding a gun to Oikawa’s back.

“Wh-what are you-,” Oikawa started until the old man slammed the gun into his lower back with enough force to bring him to his knees in pain.

“Tooru!”

Against his body’s will, Iwaizumi tried to get out of his bed only to find that his wrist was cuffed to the bed’s bolted frame.

“Now Iwaizumi, my little puppet, I want you to do as I say unless you want something to happen to him.”

Iwaizumi bared his teeth as he looked from Nekomata’s Cheshire cat grin to Oikawa’s watery chestnut eyes.

“Tch, you monster. Do I even have a choice?” he snarled.

“No, I suppose you don’t. Well, unless you want his brains splattered all over the floor, and I don’t think you’d want that, would you?”

Iwaizumi clenched his fists painfully together to the point where he could feel his skin break “…No… No I don’t… What do you want me to do?”

Nekomata’s grin only seemed to grow larger. “You should know what I want you to do Puppet.”

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think I be able to fit backstories to everyone in this story without making it seem too cluttered or not fitting in well. Would anyone be interested in seeing them as separate stories? But anyways have a wonderful week everybody! (*＾▽＾)／


	29. Chapter 29

Shimizu didn’t say much for the rest of the ride to her home except to tell Daichi that he, Futakuchi, Aone, and Tendou needed to hose off before they came in her house.

“Hey! What about Kageyama and Tsukishima? They’re covered in ash too! And don’t get me started on those two,” Tendou argued as he pointed his finger at the still unconscious Yaku and Hinata who were laid across the limo’s seats with Tsukishima’s leg keeping them from falling over. He wasn’t too terribly fond of the idea of washing off outside in the setting sun.

The dark haired woman looked to Daichi at her side, who in turn turned to Shirabu, who swatted Tendou upside the back of his head.

“They’ll be taking care of Hinata and Yaku. Isn’t that right, you two?”

While Tsukishima nodded, Kageyama didn’t as he had spaced out looking out the window at the passing barren trees. It was easy to see what was on his mind. Neither Daichi nor Tendou pushed the issue.

-

Shimizu Kiyoko didn’t live in so much as a house but a mansion which sat just outside of Sendai on a tall, heavily forested hillside overlooking the Sendai River that looked near ominous in the low light. The mansion itself however was encircled by various well taken care of plants and evergreen trees that gave it an almost soothing aura.

As the limo pulled up outside, a small woman with short blonde hair came out toting with her a little girl with even shorter messy brown hair and wide chestnut eyes.

“Oh thank God Shimizu, you found them! I-I didn’t know who to call bu-but- Oh my gosh, what happened to everyone?!” the blonde squealed as she began to flit around everyone as they exited the limo until she came to Kageyama, who was trying to keep his hold on Yaku steady, “o-oh, you’re new. I-I mean not that that’s bad or anything. Y-you have a scary face… Oh my, I said that out loud!” she looked like she was about to drop to her knees in apology but stopped when Shimizu put her hand on her shoulder.

“Hitoka, why don’t you take Yui to bed? It has gotten rather late,” she soothed before she placed a small kiss to the brunette child’s head.

“No Mamma, I wanna play with Dachi!” Yui demanded until Daichi wandered over, hose in hand.

“Don’t worry Yui, we can play tomorrow. Dachi has to water the plants,” he smiled.

“If we’re plants now, I want to be an anemone,” Tendou piped up, earning himself a spray of water which caused him to let off a shrill cry that made Yui break off into a fit of giggles.

Tendou looked like he had some choice words for Daichi but he kept them to himself until Hitoka took Yui inside, and even then he didn’t get to say them as he was too busy trying to avoid the hose, “you know when it’s your turn, it’s gonna be me getting you with that hose!”

“Um, I’m sorry about that…,” Shimizu apologized, “Hitoka, my wife, she’s not the best around people she doesn’t know that well.”

Kageyama was surprised she actually talked to him. While he didn’t know what he did, he was almost sure he had gotten on her bad side. She still however didn’t look him in the eye, “ah no, it’s fine… It’s not something I haven’t heard before.”

For a moment Shimizu’s face seemed to sadden, but it was quickly masked again as she gestured for him, Tsukishima, and those who didn’t have to get hosed down to follow.

-

The interior of the mansion reflected the exterior, as the foyer and much of what could be seen of the living room was littered with fragrant blooming plants that were arranged almost meticulously by color and size.

“It’s nice to see Yachi’s keeping up with her plants,” Noya piped up as he kept Asahi from knocking into a potted bluebell by mistake, “the plants back at Karasuno miss her.”

“They do not like Futakuchi,” Tanaka added with a frown, “but I suppose that doesn’t matter now…”

“Tanaka, doom and gloom doesn’t suit you,” Shimizu spoke as she gave him a small reassuring pat on the back that immediately made the bald man go weak in the knees to the point where he just collapsed onto the living room sofa with a small spin which caused the dark haired woman to roll her eyes, “…I’m going to show these four up to the bath first if that’s all right. Sugawara, would you mind helping me?”

The grey-haired man nodded vigorously, “I wouldn’t mind at all. Shirabu, would you mind making sure Noya and Tanaka don’t get into any trouble?”

Shirabu didn’t argue with him, but he didn’t give an answer either as he crossed his arms and moved towards a vacant armchair as Noya and Asahi took up the rest of the room on the couch.

Shrugging, Sugawara went to Kageyama’s side and helped him begin to move Yaku upstairs. Tsukishima and Shimizu had already disappeared up them with Hinata.

“Kageyama, you haven’t said much since we left Karasuno. Are you all right?” he didn’t ask the question because he was curious, but because he knew he wasn’t. The dark haired teen only confirmed his suspicions when he shook his head.

“How could I be okay? I got one of the only people I really consider a friend kidnapped along with two others. Hinata was hurt, your home was destroyed, and I’m carrying the bastard that did it. I’d be a psychopath if I was all right!” he barked, jostling Yaku by what he was sure was an accident.

Sugawara however deemed it as on purpose and took over carrying the brunette the rest of the way up the stairs, “Asahi told me he heard Yaku speaking with Nekomata yesterday and it was why he ran. Apparently he thought if he could get everyone away from Karasuno and looking for him, then no one would get hurt. Why he didn’t just tell anyone is beyond me…”

Kageyama said nothing in response as they came to the top of the stairs where Yachi greeted them with a stack of clean clothes.

“H-hi, the guest room is the third door on the left!” she near squeaked as she locked eyes with Kageyama before she ran down the hall, nearly tripping on the carpet as she went.

“She’s still as shy as ever…,” Sugawara sighed as he handed Yaku back off to Kageyama, “I need to make sure she doesn’t accidentally hurt herself.” He however lingered for a moment sending the teen a soothing stare. “Kageyama, I want you to remember, you can’t control everything… Something’s are just out of your control so please try not to blame yourself okay for today?” It didn’t take a mind reader for Kageyama to know that Sugawara was speaking from experience as he disappeared down the hallway, leaving the younger to make the rest of the trek on his own.

The guest room, like the rest of the house was decorated in an assortment of plants of all shapes and sizes that were potted in decorated planters that seemed to grow in intricacy as they wrapped around the two twin-sized beds until they came to the balcony which, past the near translucent white curtains, appeared to stop as the only thing Kageyama could see as he placed Yaku on a bed was a loveseat. He didn’t even notice Tsukishima until the blonde let off a puff of annoyance.

Turning, Kageyama saw Tsukishima exiting the bathroom with Hinata hung on his back like a sleeping child as his mop of damp orange hair was buried in the blonde’s neck. Without the blood and grime around his face from earlier, it was easy to see his nose was bent and his cheeks flecked with small cuts from his shattered glasses. It looked painful but he didn’t seem to acknowledge it at all.

“Great, now I have to share a room with you?” he groaned plainly while he crossed the room to lay Hinata on the free bed.

“Feeling’s mutual…,” Kageyama sighed as he watched Tsukishima from the corner of his eye. Either he was extremely exhausted, but he swore the blonde was glowing in the light moonlight that penetrated into the room through the curtains.

“Would you stop staring at me and just go take a bath or something And if you do, when you’re finished, leave Yaku in the water. His abilities are useless if he’s wet.”

-

The bath did nothing for Kageyama but wash away the physical grime of the last few days. Even in spite of Sugawara’s words, it did nothing to ease the thoughts that plagued his mind. Was Kenma safe? Or even Ushijima and Ennoshita? And what about Kuroo? He could only imagine what the man would do when he saw Kenma had ended up with the Aoba Johsai. He wondered if he thought he sold him out for his own safety.

By the time he pulled himself out of the bath and wrapped a robe around himself, Tsukishima was knocking at the door.

“Would you go down and find Hinata something to eat? I’ll tend to Yaku.”

Poking his head out the door, he could see Hinata sitting up with the comforter wrapped around his body, though he looked like he could fall back over at any moment from the drained stare he sent Kageyama’s way. He didn’t blame him. He wanted to collapse in bed as well. Yaku still however hadn’t budged much from where he laid him down.

“…Okay,” he huffed.

Happy with his answer, Tsukishima stepped away from the door, moving instead to Yaku’s side where he seemed to be glowing in the moonlight again. But he didn’t acknowledge it as he moved out of the room however he did notice his nose was no longer bent.

While Shimizu’s mansion was bigger, it had almost the same layout as any other house he’d been in. The kitchen was connected to the living room from what he could observe from the last few stairs. He could see Daichi moving around behind the counter while the TV buzzed in the background along with Tendou’s bickering of how cold he was and Sugawara’s light laughter. He didn’t particularly want to enter as he was sure Yachi was still down there, and he didn’t want to scare the poor woman any further, but he also didn’t want to keep Tsukishima and Hinata waiting.

With a deep breath, he sped down the rest of the stairs and through the living room and into the kitchen, nearly bumping into Daichi as he went.

“Oh sorry, Kageyama,” the buffer man apologized as he reached out to steady the pale teen, “are you hungry? You look like you could use some food.”

He shook his head, sending stray droplets of water from his poorly dried hair at Daichi, “no, I’m fine. Hinata’s the hungry one…”

Daichi however opened the fridge and pulled out a pot of curry for more than just Hinata and put it on the stove, his lips pulling into a small smile when he saw the teen lick his lips, “see, you’re hungry and I’m sure Tsukishima is too. That boy, I don’t know what’s wrong with him, but he always eats too little and gives the rest to Hinata. You know what?”

Kageyama shook his head as he watched Daichi begin to stir at the curry hungrily. He didn’t want to acknowledge his hunger as his mind began to wonder if the others were being fed at the Aoba Johsai or if they were left to starve but the aroma was just too much. He could taste the pork and spices on his tongue and the nice warm rice that was sure to come along with it.

“Go get Tsukishima and Hinata to come down. After today, we will eat together.”

“Um, what about Yaku?” he didn’t think Daichi would allow him to be unattended.

“He wouldn’t do anything drastic with Shimizu around, just trust me.”

Kageyama nodded as he began to back out of the kitchen until he noticed the atmosphere had seemed to darken in the living room as Shirabu held his head in his hands while Tendou and Sugawara rubbed circles into his back as they stared at the TV. The others remained as oblivious as ever as they had dozed off in a big heap at the foot of the couch. Noya had himself strewn across Asahi and Tanaka while Futakuchi was wrapped tightly in Aone’s arms. Yachi was nowhere to be seen.

_“We’d like to remind you all if you’re headed to the Tokyo area, look out for this man, Semi Eita,” _beside the newswoman appeared the unflattering image of a young disgruntled man with white hair and black tips. He didn’t look familiar at all to Kageyama, but he could only assume he was a friend of Shirabu and Tendou. However, he did recognize the portraits of Oikawa, Kindaichi and Kunimi that accompanied the man’s. They each looked happy in their own way in their photos, a stark contrast of the last time he saw his once teammates.__

 _ __“He is wanted at large for the attempted murder of Misaki Hana, a co-worker of his at the Tokyo Metropolitan police department and for questioning in the disappearance of three teenagers from Kitagawa Academy. Superintendent-General Nekomata is asking for any information that would lead to his capture. He is considered to be armed and dangerous.” _____

 _ _ _ _“My ass! Shirabu, you know Semi wouldn’t do something like that. Semi barely could dress himself without looking like a clown; I doubt he could even hold a weapon against anybody without tripping over himself.” Tendou tried to assure the copper haired man even as Sugawara motioned for him to cut it out. In the end it was Shirabu who harshly pushed him away.____

 _ _ _ _

“Tendou, I know what you mean, but…,” he was clearly trying to keep his voice steady as he began to move towards the front door, “but could you stop being so insensitive for one God damn moment?”

Without waiting for the red head’s response, he ran out of the mansion with Sugawara hot on his heels.

“Wha happened?” Noya yawned as he lifted his head from Asahi’s chest, his eyes lazily switching from Tendou’s downcast stare to Kageyama’s awkward uncomfortable one.

__

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case anyone was wondering the title of this story comes from the song 'Psychedelic Soul' by Yoko Kanno. It's a really good song and I was listening to it when the idea for this story came to mind. Anyways have a good day or night everyone!  
> ﾍ(=￣∇￣)ﾉ  
> 


	30. Chapter 30

It wasn’t long before Misaki was moved out of the ICU and into a regular room by Doctor Moniwa.

“I must admit I’ve never seen someone recover as fast as you did from a wound so severe. I only hope that putting you in a room with someone won’t slow down your recovery. But the ICU has been getting really crowded lately. You don’t mind sharing a room with someone, do you?” Moniwa rambled as he wheeled her towards a door with a tag on it that read ‘Matsukawa Issei.’

The brunette pulled at her hospital gown almost like it was the last thing she’d ever touch. She didn’t expect to recover as quickly as she did, or at all for that matter. Semi’s pained face was the last tangible memory she could grasp at before she found herself in the wheelchair she was in now, being wheeled around by the humming Moniwa.

“I suppose I don’t mind, really… But I want to call my friend, Semi. I need to let him know I’m okay,” she could feel Moniwa’s hands tense around the handles of the chair and the stares of the nurses focusing on her like hungry vultures.

“O-oh, that’s nice. I-I’ll see what I can do for you, okay?” he stammered, any pep from his voice gone as he basically shoved her into the room, startling its other inhabitant, a man with messy black hair and tired eyes that seemed annoyed from the effort to stay open.

“I doubt you have my dinner…,” he huffed, his thick eyebrows unfurling as he leaned back into his bed with an annoyed sigh.

As Moniwa seemed to run off somewhere, Misaki had to roll herself further into the room.

“I-I’m really sorry about that…,” she apologized, not wanting to make a bad impression on the man who would probably be her only company for awhile, “I’m Misaki Hana, and I take it you’re Matsukawa Issei?”

The man let off another sigh as he pushed himself back up to meet Misaki’s gaze, “I am, yes, and I recognize you from the news.”

She tilted her head, “what?”

“Yeah, your story is the only other thing the news will talk about. Well, that and how my café was apparently destroyed by mutants and how they basically put me in the hospital,” to prove his point, he flicked on the room’s TV where Semi’s picture immediately appeared.

_“He is wanted at large for the attempted murder of Misaki Hana, a co-worker of his at the Tokyo police station and for questioning in the disappearance of three teenagers from Kitagawa Academy. Superintendent-General Nekomata is asking for any information that will lead to his capture. He is considered to be armed and dangerous.” ___

Misaki’s jaw dropped open almost instantaneously.

“No, that’s not true! I protected him from getting shot… This is all a misunderstanding, I know it! I just have to… Wait, three teenagers… Semi had nothing to do with that, it was all Hanamaki!” she near wailed on the brink of tears to the point where she didn’t see Matsukawa crawling out of his bed towards her until he was right in front of her.

“As in Hanamaki Takahiro?” he questioned, his voice wavering slightly. When she nodded, he pulled away with a frown as he walked over to the room’s window.

“I take it you know him… I worked at the police station and he was always coming in to see my boss. He didn’t work there, but I-,” she cut herself off almost immediately when she heard the door creak open.

“Misaki?”

As fast as she was able to, she turned her wheelchair around to see none other than Semi Eita, garbed in a ratty old purple and white track suit with a plain black baseball cap covering his now hay-blond hair.

“Y-you dyed your hair.”

“Is that really the first thing you noticed?” he puffed as he closed the door behind him. He was about to move towards the brunette when he caught sight of Matsukawa and paled.

“I won’t say anything to anyone,” he soothed plainly until Semi’s face relaxed.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Semi pulled off his hat and took a seat on one of the hospital beds, “Misaki, I take it you’ve seen the news?”

She nodded as she wheeled to his side and began to try to comb at his hair with her fingers. Even if his hair was dyed, it didn’t help if his hairstyle was the same, “none of it is true. I don’t know why Nekomata-sama would believe for a second that you would try to hurt me or anybody. Maybe if I explain to him what really happened, he’ll get the news to stop airing that lie of a story.”

Semi shook his head, “it won’t work, Misaki.”

“Why not?” she questioned as she pulled her fingers from his hair none too gently. She took the bullet and it certainly wasn’t Semi with the gun. It may not have cleared him of the issue of the missing teenagers, but she could clearly remember Hanamaki leaving with them, not Semi.

“It’s because it was Nekomata who shot you in the first place,” he bluntly answered before looking away as she brought her hands up to where her bullet wound was, “…Misaki, I came here to tell you that I’m going to the Aoba Johsai and I probably won’t be coming back.”

Misaki didn’t know if she wanted to hit him or not. The urge was there, but she couldn’t tear her hands away from her gown, “w-why?”

“Nekomata’s got people all around this place, Misaki; no one will take my word or yours over Nekomata’s. I figure I’m either gonna go to prison or try and take my chances with the Aoba Johsai. Those teenagers… I gave them the idea to go there and I couldn’t live with myself if they got hurt or worse. And your lady friend, Alisa, was it? If she’s there I’ll bust her out too,” Semi didn’t care if his plan seemed like a long-shot; it was the only one he had.

“S-Semi… you don’t have to do this. I-I can call my father in Miyagi an-and-“

But he shook his head as he moved to stand, “Misaki, time is of the essence. For all we know they could be hurt or worse. I don’t want to wait around.

When he tried to move back to the door, the brunette grabbed his hand.

“Please, just hear me out!”

“Misaki, just let me go, please…,” for a person who had just been shot, her grip was unyielding, and by the time he had almost pried himself free, Matsukawa joined in, his thickly bandaged hand taking hold of his free hand.

“Now would it kill you to hear the little lady out?” he asked with a bat of his eyes and his bottom lip stuck out. The sight brought a small smile of humor to form on the now blonde’s lips.

“Fine. I guess it wouldn’t hurt…”

His words brought a smile to Misaki’s lips, “thank you! Now please listen closely…”

-

_“Now no arguing with me, Semi Eita, you sir are getting your butt on the next train to Miyagi and going to my father,” _Misaki’s words ran through his ears like clockwork as he purchased his train ticket.__

 _ _“Shouldn’t you be in bed kid, or already home at least?” the conductor grumbled as he checked Semi’s ticket over.__

 _ _

“Ah, I was visiting my girlfriend and lost track of time,” he lied as he looked down at his tracksuit. He was surprised that his old Shiratorizawa sweats, which he hadn’t worn since high school, still fit, let alone gave him the guise of a high schooler. He didn’t think he looked that young. He had just celebrated his twenty-second birthday the previous week with a store bought cake and a bottle of sake. Then again, even after the wicked hangover he had the next day, he still could remember getting carded.

“Whatever. But be careful. I heard the police are on the lookout for this cop that went crazy and tried to kill his co-worker. I guess she must have rejected his advances.”

Semi scowled, “I’ll keep that in mind, sir…”

Luckily for him, the train was a ghost town from what he could tell as he took a seat close to the exit and relaxed as he allowed Misaki’s instructions to take back over his mind.

_“Well he’s not so much my father really, but the man who pretty much raised me after my father was killed… Remember when you asked me about Johzenji? My father was indeed their leader, and judging from that look in your eye, you already figured." ___

 _ __“Well, you’re not wrong. The mutants I talked to told me that, and that he had a daughter, along with some other things and I just put two and two together,”_ he didn’t want to go into too much detail and inadvertently put Misaki in more danger than he was sure she was already in.__

 _ _

Misaki scratched at her head, _“yeah, I’m that daughter… I have much more I could tell you, but for time’s sake, he hates the Aoba Johsai and can give you infiltration tips among other things that’ll keep you from getting shot dead immediately. I’ve tried many times to get the information out of him myself with little to no luck. It’s why I couldn’t look for Alisa myself. He wouldn’t tell me, but he has no reason to not tell you.”_

With a small huff, Semi opened his eyes to stare up at the train’s vibrating ceiling. It was a far stretch from his original plan, but if Misaki’s father or whatever he really was to her pulled through, he had a better chance of survival, and hopefully Oikawa and his friends did too.

\--

“So you think your dad’ll actually tell him anything?” Matsukawa hummed in-between bites of his sandwich once Misaki had gotten off the phone and rolled over to his bed side, “I mean, I failed family life in high school, but I don’t think your dad or any dad would be chomping at the bit to go help out the guy who’s on the news as their daughter’s attempted murderer.”

“Well he’s not even really my dad, so I guess it doesn’t count,” she sighed softly as she stole a chip off of the other man’s plate, it had been awhile but a nurse had eventually came with a tray for him, “so my problems aside, how did you get in here?”

Matsukawa put down his dinner to scratch at the back of his head, “to be honest, I don’t remember. I only know what the news told me. The last thing I remember was saying goodbye to these two guys who I guess were mutants, at least that’s what the news said. Apparently they got into a territorial dispute with a couple of other mutants and my café got caught in the crossfire. But I mean, you think I’d at least remember that part.”

Misaki pursed her lips together. It sounded fishy, but it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility either, at least from her perspective. Semi knew the whole story from those two mutants, not her.

It was easy for the dark-haired man to see that she didn’t have an answer to give so he changed the subject, “Takahiro, I mean, Hanamaki. He’s not a bad guy. He’s a regular at my café and a pretty funny guy too.”

Misaki couldn’t imagine Hanamaki without anything but an annoyed scowl and a tired, hollowed stare, nor could she picture him cracking a joke. Maybe a sarcastic comment, but never a joke made to bring a smile to a less than sadistic mind. But she only knew him on the job and even then very little.

“I’m not blaming Hanamaki for those teenagers’ disappearances if that’s what you’re thinking. He could be a victim in of all this too for all we know,” that part Misaki wasn’t so sure on, but her words in the end brought a lazy smile to Matsukawa’s face, at least until he looked over at the clock by the TV.

“Wow, 2 a.m. already? I’m shocked the nurses haven’t come in to swaddle us to bed. My first night here, they swaddled me like I was a tiny baby, and clearly I’m no baby.”

The brunette tried to stifle her laughter at his comment, but it ended up turning into a louder yawn in the end.

“You should get to bed. I’m gonna finish my food, but don’t worry, you can turn out the lights.”

Misaki’s reply came out as a small yawn before she pulled away from his bed to move to her own. It wasn’t long after that that the light shut off and Matsukawa was left with the soft moonlight that illuminated his sandwich and the few chips Misaki had left on his plate. The food didn’t last long as he scarfed it down with ease before he settled into his bed for the night.

While he was contentedly full, he couldn’t find comfort and ended up tossing and turning. He was sure he was being paranoid, but something felt off. Anytime he went to the hospital in his younger days, a doctor or nurse always came in at least at some point during the night, and until Misaki was moved to his room, this time had been no exception. Even the nurse that had brought him his dinner had seemed like she didn’t want to be in their room. Not to mention she didn’t bring Misaki anything, which really confused him. Before he could think any further on the matter, he heard the door to his room creak open, allowing the light from the outside to pour in, only to be partially obscured by the shadow of a man. As they entered, their shoes scuffed against the tiled floor as they paced around in the light of the doorway before finally closing it.

_‘Okay, should nurses be this creepy?’_ his mind raced, and then his head began to ache. The situation felt oddly familiar to him, but he couldn’t place it, not that he exactly cared to. Misaki’s bed was closer to the door, closer to who or whatever was in their room.

The room was dead silent. Any movement Matsukawa tried sounded at least to him like a flood siren, an exploding building, or even his mother screaming at him for his poor grades. The small amount of moonlight through the curtains wasn’t any help at all either as the awkward shadows hid the table by his bedside’s leg, nearly tripping him. However, the intruder didn’t seem to know of his existence regardless of what he did. By the time he got steady on his feet however, he could hear a small hiccup. Peeking curiously behind his bed’s curtain, he found himself smacking right into the smaller figure of Doctor Moniwa who let out a squeak of surprise that awoke Misaki and nearly sent Matsukawa on his ass in surprise.

“Huh? What‘s going on?” the brunette questioned tiredly as she flipped on the light at her bedside to find Moniwa trying and failing to keep Matsukawa standing. Worried they’d both fall over, she pulled herself out of bed and onto her feet to help the doctor get Matsukawa steadied on his bed’s frame.

“I-I’m sorry. I was just checking in on you both t-to see if you got to sleep all right. It’s been a busy day,” the doctor babbled incessantly while he began to look over Matsukawa, never once looking him directly in the eyes, “but I wanted to let you know, Matsukawa-san, that you’ll be able to leave the hospital tomorrow. Isn’t that nice?”

Matsukawa pursed his lips. He could recall asking a nurse about how long he would be here and they had told him a week, at least that’s what he remembered. He could also recall being doped up on painkillers to the point where he thought his bandaged hands were bear paws. Not to mention he still had next to no idea on the full extent of his injuries, only that he ached all over. It was like the hospital was trying it’s hardest to pretend that he or even Misaki weren’t even there. The only doctor that seemed to even care in the slightest was Moniwa, and even then he wasn’t so sure. He was still unnerved from the doctor’s display earlier. It made him wonder if he was really just checking on him or not.

“That’s good, I guess,” he replied half-heartedly, deciding it was best to just chalk it up to paranoia from listening to Misaki and Semi’s conversation earlier, “so if I’m getting out early, is Misaki getting out of this coop soon too? She looks better off than me.”

The brunette wasn’t even struggling to keep on her feet, unlike Matsukawa only a few minutes ago. She even agreed with him.

“I do feel fine, Doctor Moniwa. I even think that wheelchair was a bit unnecessary.”

Moniwa however quickly shook his head, “with the severity of your injuries, Misaki-san, I think it would be best for you to stay under our observance for at least a few days, but if you rest, it’ll be quicker.”

Taking the hint, she nodded and made her way back to her bed while Moniwa helped Matsukawa into his bed in spite of the taller man’s claim that he could do it himself.

“I’ll be discharging you first thing in the morning, so get some rest, o-okay?”

Matsukawa just sent him a lazy nod as he settled his head into his pillow. He wasn’t exactly looking forward to getting out of the hospital. Once out, he had relatively nothing to do. He had no idea when his café would be fixed if at all. The whole building had been decimated from what the news footage had showed him, which would take months to fix and a summation of money he didn’t have, and he doubted the city would have it fixed free of charge. He had to mentally kick himself for allowing Hanamaki’s tab to get so large. It could have at least paid for a decent-looking window.

When Moniwa finished tucking him in like an overgrown child, he left his side to do the same to Misaki before he near ran out of the room from the sound of his footsteps with only a quick goodnight before the room went quiet again, at least until Misaki called out to her roommate.

“So what’re you going to do when you get out? Are you going to look for Hanamaki?” she asked, genuinely curious.

The dark-haired man let off a loud sigh as he considered her question. From what he gathered from her and Semi’s conversation, Hanamaki was involved in the Aoba Johsai, and while the media flowered them as the saviors of the streets of Japan from the supposed mutant scourge, he thought no better of them than the street rats he saw prowling around outside his apartment complex. When supposed mutants disappeared, there were no search parties, only cheers that the Aoba Johsai had saved the day. He could easily remember looking through the peep-hole of his front door and seeing them dragging out his neighbor none too gently, all the while claiming him to be a threat to the inhabitants of the building with his mutant ability. Yaku, he could recall his name being, wasn’t much of a threat unless you called him short, and even then his retaliation only came in the form of a swift kick that held no more power than the average person who worked out regularly. He didn’t even think he was a mutant until he helped him light his stove one day with just a small flick of his finger. It was only a onetime thing however as the man was mostly a shut-in, preferring to only go out when he was sure no one in the complex was awake. He wasn’t a bloodthirsty psychopath like the Aoba Johsai painted him out to be. If Hanamaki was involved with them, he didn’t want to get tangled in that mess.

“I don’t think so. I’m just gonna go back to my apartment or maybe go see my parents in Niigata.”

Misaki let off a small hum of understanding as she tried to find a comfortable spot in bed, “well goodnight, Matsukawa. It was nice getting to talk to you today. I hope we can talk more before you leave tomorrow.”

“Likewise.”

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wonder if anyone will still read this? But I digress, I apologize for such a long hiatus but school has been real busy for me. From a summer semester straight into the Fall one can wear a person out. Anyways I won't be able to update as regularly as I once was, I'll try to update every two weeks or so but I do plan on getting chapter 31 out either later today or within the week.   
> I hope everyone has a wonderful day!


	31. Chapter 31

“Stupid Tendou… Stupid Ushijima… Nngh, stupid Semi… Ugh, they’re all idiots,” Shirabu hissed as he collapsed under a barren tree at the river’s edge. He didn’t like losing his composure in front of others; it wasn’t often that he did since Ushijima brought Goshiki to the farm, and even then it was only because he had little faith that Ushijima had any idea on how to raise a child or that Tendou should even be allowed to be in a fifty-foot radius of one. But that wasn’t the memory that came to mind as he shut his eyes to find himself back in the semi-final of nationals at their final timeout, the moment when everything began to go south.

Since the team had gotten off the bus at the Tokyo gym, Shirabu had taken notice of Tendou’s slight wobble. It was no secret to anyone on the Shiratorizawa team that the red-head didn’t have the best home life, but he never dwelled on it for long and when anyone asked when he showed up with a bruise or cut, he’d laugh it off or give them a snide comment unless they were Ushijima. However, Ushijima didn’t say a word about it as Shirabu knew he was too focused on their upcoming match and so was he to an extent as he had no desire to be switched out with their team’s other setter and his then boyfriend, Semi Eita.

_“So what stick got up your butt this time?” ___

 _ _Shirabu let off a groan as he looked up at Semi with an annoyed glare when he put his sweaty palm on his shoulder. The taller setter had dyed his hair an electric blue with sea-foam tips and, while not unappealing, he preferred the man’s natural grey hair.__

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_“…Just thinking." ___

 _ _His answer didn’t please Semi; he wasn’t lying as his eyes skirted around the rest of the team. It was a memory, he couldn’t change a thing and it bugged him to the point where his skin crawled. If he had asked for Tendou to be substituted out or even alerted Ushijima, things could have been different. Ushijima could be off playing professional volleyball while he and Tendou could have been at university. Reon would even be still alive. But what would have become of Goshiki?__

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Semi let off a puff of annoyance as the referee blew the whistle to start the game again.

_“Well… just tell me later, okay?” _he placed a quick kiss on the shorter teen’s forehead, which at the time he didn’t think would be the last one and neither did Semi.__

 _ _The match progressed as normally as ever for Shirabu as he sent the ball Ushijima’s way whenever he could give him the best shot. He almost had tunnel vision by that point and that’s when it happened. He didn’t notice Tendou take a blow to the face until he heard the audience start screaming. At that time, he had no idea that Tendou or even Ushijima were mutants, he didn’t even think they were real, just myths made up by those who feared different people, but seeing Tendou slowly, and what appeared to be painfully turning into what he could only describe as some sort of eldritch beast that he had seen in a book when he was younger, he began to think differently. His body had become that of a red-furred lion while his face went unseen as it was held down to the ground by his massive paws with claws of obsidian, a thick mane of scarlet, and the giant dark as the night sky bat-like wings that began to shield his body from the eyes of the public.__

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_“T-Tendou?” _he couldn’t help the crack in his voice as he stared down at the red-head. A part of him wanted to scream too, not because he was scared, but because he didn’t know what to do to fix what was happening.__

 _ _Reon and Ushijima were at his side instantly trying to protect him from the public’s eye, but it didn’t stop the audience from shouting about the supposed abomination on the court. Shirabu could see from the corner of his eye the rest of the Shiratorizawa team backing away in shock while the opposing team just ran away. The only other person standing on the court besides them now was Semi, who looked about as shell-shocked as he felt. His focus however didn’t remain on Semi for long as he could see Ushijima’s normally passive face curl into one of pure hatred.__

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_“He’s not the monster, you all are!” ___

 _ _Even though it was just a memory, his ears still rang like it all had happened again. The windows cracked and people began to run, trampling over each other in their attempt to keep their hearing at least partially as Ushijima didn’t shut his mouth until the last person had fled from the bleachers, and by that point, Reon had the red-head safely secured to his back as he had managed to regain his normal form.__

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_“We have to get out of here, Ushijima… Before they send out the Aoba Johsai…,” _Reon softly spoke as his eyes flicked briefly to Shirabu, _“you won’t say anything, will you?” _____

 _ _ _ _Shirabu shook his head, _“I won’t because I’m going with you all.” _______

 _ _ _ _ _ _It was the most impulsive decision of his life, but he couldn’t imagine walking back into Shiratorizawa without seeing either of the three of them.______

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Neither Ushijima nor Reon put up an argument as they had all begun to hear the police sirens echoing into the gym’s broken windows. “Then come on,” Ushijima’s voice had always been a commanding one, but now he could hear the exact power to it.

As they ran out the gym’s back, they passed Semi, who still stood stiff as a board. He tried calling out to him, but he refused to budge or even acknowledge that he heard him. _“Fine, go eat shit for all I care!” _he snapped at him until he rammed into something that wasn’t there before. Looking at the offending object, he was greeted by the apologetic face of none other than Sugawara Koushi.__

 _ _Shirabu’s eyes snapped open almost instantly to see the grey-haired man bent before him with his hands on his hips. He looked ready to chastise the sitting man, but he was beaten to it.__

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“Why were you in my mind? I didn’t give you my damn permission!”

Removing one of his hands from his hip, Sugawara brought it down on Shirabu’s head, causing him to let out a hiss of pain.

“You don’t get to say that when you’re basically projecting your mind out into the open air. Telepathy isn’t the most common mutant ability, but it wouldn’t take much for someone with it to take advantage of you. I was trying to mask your presence. It’s not my fault you found me.”

“Ugh, what are you, my mother? And next time, try hiding in a less obvious spot. Why are you out here anyway?” he grumbled as Sugawara sat beside him.

“You ran off. And it’s not like the Aoba Johsai doesn’t have someone prowling around, even in a residential area at night, especially night. I don’t think Tendou or Ushijima for that matter would want you getting hurt, or worse,” Sugawara huffed as he lazily watched his breath in the frosty air, “not to mention it’s cold and you’re not even wearing a jacket.”

Shirabu hadn’t even noticed until he found himself trying to bury himself in Sugawara’s oversized pastel peach knitted sweater.

“I dou-doubt Tendou wants to see me right now… You saw my memories an-and I bet you’ve seen his too, at least at some point, and I-I am not co-cold…,” he growled in spite of the fact that he didn’t pull away when Sugawara wrapped an arm around him to pull him further into his warm body.

“While I admit I’ve poked around, I know Tendou cares for you, Ushijima, and Goshiki above all else, even if he’s insensitive at times. I don’t think he’s mad at you, he’s more than likely worried about you,” he softly explained, “now let’s get back to the others before we both catch a cold. It’s the last thing either of us needs tonight.”

As the two went to stand however, a snap of a branch quickly froze them both. Shirabu opened his mouth, but it was quickly covered by Sugawara as he scanned the area. Sugawara saw nothing but he could hear footsteps getting closer, and the closer they got, the more he could see Shirabu’s eyes widen in fear. In an attempt to keep him calm, he reached out to him with his mind.

_“There’s no need to worry! Just keep close to me and everything will be fine!”_

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It had been three hours since Sugawara and Shirabu had gone outside and neither had returned. The curry went uneaten except for the portion Tsukishima had made Hinata eat when he brought him downstairs. While Daichi said it wasn’t necessary, Aone and Futakuchi went upstairs to watch Yaku while Tanaka and Nishinoya had left to do a search around the area on foot while Shimizu took her own car around. In the end, however, none of them came up with anything and returned empty-handed.

“Well you can’t just give up!” Tendou squawked, his movements becoming antsier by the minute. While the three had been out, he kept his face pressed to the window.

“We looked everywhere, we swear!” Noya exclaimed as he returned to Asahi’s side. He may not have seen what Tendou had been up to in his absence, but he could tell it was upsetting the blinded man, “I even shouted for ‘em both! I mean, nothing would give them away except, you know, something that would get Suga mad.”

“Ironically I was the one who got a shoe thrown at them,” Tanaka huffed as he looked over at Daichi, who was the face of calm as he sat between the fidgeting Kageyama and the lump of blankets that was Hinata with his arms crossed and eyes shut. He didn’t even so much as twitch at Noya and Tendou’s raised voices, even when Shimizu tried to shush them both for her sleeping child and wife’s sake. Any other day, Tanaka would have admitted he didn’t have the attention span to care, but after today, he knew something was off and he could tell he wasn’t the only one who thought so.

“Sawamura, are you not concerned about Sugawara or that other man’s disappearance?” Tsukishima spoke up as he shifted closer to Hinata, which he made look like he was just checking if the orange- haired teen was just asleep, but Tanaka could easily tell he was getting ready to move him away if he saw any danger.

“I have faith in Suga. He’s strong and knows how to handle himself. And he wouldn’t let any harm come to Shirabu or himself,” Daichi answered matter-of-factly without opening his eyes, which unfortunately for him meant that he didn’t see Tendou’s approach until the red-head had him by the sweater.

“And what if he couldn’t? Those guys don’t mess around! I literally got kicked like a soccer ball by a winged bastard and burned to holy hell by both Tsu-Tsu and that freak Yaku, who you brought into a house with a tiny child!”

“And told us he could be left alone, but then again, it does make sense almost.”

Tendou looked at Tsukishima with confusion, as did Tanaka, Noya, and even Shimizu. Kageyama knew what was coming. Asahi was the only one who hadn’t a clue what was going on.

“The Aoba Johsai has their own shapeshifter that attacked Kageyama and I that just happened to disappear just before Daichi came to our aid.”

Noya let off a loud gasp while Asahi covered his mouth. Kageyama didn’t believe what Tsukishima had to say for a second, but he could easily tell his opinion wouldn’t matter as he watched Tanaka push Tendou aside so he could lift the buffer man up by the collar of his sweater.

“You’re paranoid, all of you,” Daichi ground out as he teleported cleanly away from the bald man, only to reappear in the foyer.

“With good reason! We’re all on edge! Chikara and Ushiwaka were taken by the Aoba Johsai, and now Suga and Shirabu are missing, and here you are all calm about it!” with a snarl, he tried to lunge at Daichi until Shimizu’s iron grip snagged his wrist. Tanaka didn’t dare to pull away from her forcibly.

“Hey let go, Kiyoko!”

She shook her head adamantly.

“No, I won’t have you hurt him. This is all likely a misunderstanding. Daichi, please just say something, anything, to prove you’re you. Anything,” in spite of it all, her voice was still soft even as tears threatened to fall past her glasses.

“Ah, Kiyoko, don’t cry!” Tanaka floundered as he looked from Shimizu to Daichi, “f-fine. Daichi, you got five minutes…”

With his mumbled words, the dark-haired woman let him free, but that didn’t stop Noya from kicking at him for making her tear up.

“After today, is trying to think positive so hard? I trust Koushi with my life and I’d trust him with all of yours. What further proof do you need than that? You’ve all lived with me for years, I know so much about each and every one of you, Yaku included and I still have faith in him. We’ve all done some bad things in our past. But if that is so hard for you all to understand, then let me show you something,” with an unsteady sigh, he closed his eyes, only for them to snap back open a moment later, but instead of his normal dark irises were the hazel of Sugawara’s.

“Daichi told me what’s going on. What’s wrong with you all? Have a little faith in your leader, all right?”

It was strange for Kageyama to hear Sugawara’s voice coming out Daichi’s body, and he could see he wasn’t alone in that opinion as he could see Tanaka awkwardly rubbing at his neck while he swore Tsukishima was trying to stifle a snicker. Noya on the other hand was bouncing around Daichi wildly.

“Wow Suga, it really is you!” he marveled, unaware he was exuding static until he poked at the taller man and caused his hair to puff.

“Oww, Noya that hurt,” Suga whined, “it’s me who feels that, not Daichi.”

“So how’re you doing this anyway?” Tendou questioned skeptically as he crossed his arms.

“When a telepath loves another person very much,” Sugawara began almost dreamily as if he was recalling the memory, “they meld their minds together to create an unshakable bond. I’ve opened my mind, my being, and thoughts to Daichi and his to mine. It was a private thing, but not anymore.”

Tendou looked down almost apologetically, but when he spoke it wasn’t an apology.

“Sounds like something from Star Trek. Tsutomu would be all over you if he were here…,” he sighed longingly as he plopped his butt on the couch, bouncing both Kageyama and Hinata with the force, “anyway… is Shirabu okay?”

“Don’t worry, he’s fine but we won’t be able to come back tonight.”

Both Tendou and Tanaka’s jaws dropped open.

“Wh-what? Why? We’re worried sick!” the bald man stammered out even as Sugawara sent him a deadpan stare.

“Yeah, enough to call Daichi a shapeshifter and threaten him. Geez, don’t you think I would have realized it pretty quickly if Daichi, well, wasn’t Daichi?”

“Yes, Mom…,” Tanaka sighed.

“Good. Now apologize to Daichi when I leave his body. And all of you: rest now and promise me no more accusing anyone of anything. We’re all in this together, okay?”

When Sugawara shut his hazel eyes, they quickly reopened as Daichi’s dark ones.

“Well? Do you all believe me now?”

When no one objected, Daichi smiled.

“Good. Now let’s get to sleep, all right? It has been one long day."

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End file.
